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Mid Year Forecast: A surge in 2004, then a slowdown
by Bill McLean, IC Insights
EE Times
06/02/2004, 10:00 AM ET
EDIT: So we're alright until 2008, it seems, just enough time for AMD to break through $18.50?
http://www.siliconstrategies.com/article/showArticle.jhtml?articleId=21400863
Below is an article from Bill McLean, president of market research firm IC Insights Inc. (www.icinsights.com; Scottsdale, Ariz.) prepared for EETimes' Mid-Year Forecast edition The full selection of mid-year forecast articles could be found here when this article was first posted..
After surviving the record-breaking whipsaw action of the IC market in 2000-2001, many producers are attempting to approach the current upturn more conservatively. Nonetheless, many of the major indicators of market health that IC Insights follows are now forecast to reside at excessively high levels in 2004 (although not as high as in 2000) compared with their historical averages.
Overall, there are three major factors that typically cause, or are part of, IC industry downturns: global recessions, inventory burns and/or overcapacity. IC Insights believes that the downturn portion of the current cycle (2005-2006) will en-counter overcapacity and an inventory burn. Although a global recession is not incorporated into the 2005-2006 forecast, slowing worldwide economic conditions are anticipated.
IC Insights expects worldwide GDP growth to slow to 3 percent in 2005 after a strong, 4.5 percent increase in 2004. Electronic system production is also forecast to slow, from an 11 percent surge in 2004 to only a 2 percent increase in 2005. It should be noted that another "industrial depression-like" period for electronic system sales like that of 2001-02 is not expected through 2008. In retrospect, we consider the steep drop in electronic system sales during 2001-2002 to be a fluke.
Capital spending
IC Insights forecasts that semiconductor industry capital spending will surge at least 53 percent in 2004. A survey of semiconductor company spending budgets compiled in the first quarter reflected a 48 percent increase in planned capital expenditures for the entire year. However, assuming the 2004 semiconductor industry grows at a rate of 27 percent (forecast) or greater, we expect semiconductor capital spending to actually increase at least 53 percent, a minimum of 5 points higher than the sum of the company budgets as of the first quarter.
It is interesting to note that the dollar volume difference between using the 48 percent survey figure for 2004 semiconductor industry capital-spending growth and IC Insights' 53 percent forecast is $1.1 billion. This $1.1 billion amount is less than half the cost of one full-production 300-mm fabrication facility. Moreover, we believe that $1.1 billion could easily be added to the total 2004 capital-expenditure outlays by having some companies (for example, Intel) merely spending at the high end of their current budget ranges.
There are many factors that influence the infamous semiconductor industry cycles, and capital spending is one of the most important. IC Insights believes it is extremely useful to track semiconductor capital-spending levels closely because they yield significant insights into the supply side of the basic supply/demand equation. In turn, the semiconductor industry supply factor ultimately determines trends in semiconductor average selling price.
It should be noted that since 1978, the worldwide semiconductor market has never grown more than 8 percent in the year following a year when the industry's capital spending increased more than 50 percent. As noted earlier, IC Insights forecasts that worldwide semiconductor industry capital spending will increase at least 53 percent in 2004.
That prediction is relatively conservative compared with most of the previous "overspending" years. However, historical figures remind us that capital-spending budgets and forecasts put forth at the beginning of a year often do not resemble the actual spending results for that year. For example, Texas Instruments Inc. announced in April that it would increase its 2004 capital-spending budget from $1.1 billion to $1.3 billion. Moreover, STMicroelectronics stated in April that it was raising its 2004 semiconductor capital-spending budget from $1.6 billion to $2.2 billion.
Additional announcements by semiconductor producers regarding the boosting of their capital-spending budgets for 2004 should now be viewed as increasingly bad news for the 2005 semiconductor market.
While overspending by semiconductor producers in 2004 appears to be a given, the question remains whether the semiconductor industry can avoid its typical "irrational exuberance" approach to spending in favor of a more cautious one (that is, register a capital-spending increase of less than 60 percent this year). The health of the semiconductor market in 2005 will be significantly influenced by how this question is eventually answered.
mmoy: Hector Ruiz made the distinction in his CRM interview a couple of weeks ago. He said that AMD had been pushing the desktop notebook because that is what the corporate clients wanted - but that AMD would proceed to beef up its offerings of truly mobile laptop and thin and light. Notebooks in general are second in priority to Opterons servers in the business plan. Of course, as others have commented, it takes two to tango, and AMD needs more OEMs to come up with designs. Hopefully the new chips will entice them. I fully expect some positive announcements on thin and light soon.
Swaggering AMD brands Intel "disruptive"
Computex 2004 We got them on the run, claim execs
http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=16315
worth noting:
"But, as the figures brandished by Intel in Taipei yesterday show, the world is moving away from the desktop.
Notebooks sales are overtaking desktops in the mature PC markets and, having "established a beachhead," as Meyer put it, in the PC business with the desktop, its time to "broaden the portfolio into other areas," he said.
Yet the mobile arena, wirelessness, is "pretty darned important" Meyer conceded - in AMD products or anyone else's....."
paul: Yes, I was tempted to change the message. On the site they have a selection of photos with space for you to write your own message in a variety of fonts. I never bookmarked the url.
paul: Let's hope AMD responds appropriately to McConnell's statement soon. When's the next "event" supposed to be?
Thursday at Smith Barney Annual Semiconductor Conference - Rivet will present.
http://www.investorshub.com/boards/read_msg.asp?message_id=3203427
paul: That shot is a spoof. It is from a site that allows you to write any message you like on the baord the boys are holding. I saw that version on Yahoo about two weeks ago.
Sony to abandon handheld PCs
By Paul Taylor in New York
Published: June 1 2004 20:17 / Last Updated: June 1 2004 22:08
Sony is to abandon the US and European markets for handheld computers, the latest indication of the growing challenge from "smartphones" and ultra-light portable PCs equipped for wireless networking.
The Japanese consumer electronics group plans to focus instead on wireless devices that can play films, games and music.
Sony, which entered the market for personal digital assistants (PDAs) with its Clié brand in August 2000, said it would continue to sell the devices in Japan, but would wind down production and leave the US and European markets later this year.
It would also reassess its entire PDA strategy worldwide.
"Sony is taking this time to examine the conventional PDA business and how it will transition into the future," the company said. "Product development and sales continue for the Japanese market only."
Sony's Clié handhelds, which are based on the Palm operating system, have a strong following worldwide, where Sony ranks third behind palmOne and Hewlett-Packard, according to IDC, a market researcher.
Sony had a 9.3 per cent worldwide market share in the first quarter of this year, but has faced growing competition in some markets, particularly the US, from cut-price machines from rivals such as Dell.
Analysts believe the market for handheld devices is beginning to change.
After growing rapidly in the late 1990s, sales of basic handheld devices have showed signs of stalling recently, leading some analysts to predict that ultimately all handheld devices will need to be "connected".
Recent figures from IDC show that the worldwide market for handheld devices fell 12 per cent in the first quarter to 2.2m units.
The decline reflected several factors, including a shift away from standalone PDAs towards connected devices and personal communicators such as the Treo 600 and Rim "Blackberry" machines, which combine the features of PDAs and mobile phones.
Sony Ericsson, a joint venture with the Swedish telecommunications equipment group, manufactures a range of powerful smartphones that run Nokia's Symbian operating system and have proved popular in Europe.
The Sony move could also have a significant effect on PalmSource, the US software developer that licenses the Palm operating system used in Sony's handheld machines.
Sony is PalmSource's second-biggest licensee after palmOne, which leads the market with its Zire and Tungsten PDAs.
Intel to narrow forecast based on strong flash, notebook demand
http://www.eetimes.com/semi/news/showArticle.jhtml%3Bjsessionid=EX1Y055OH2KREQSNDBGCKHQ?articleID=21...
EDIT: This is another analyst who has accepted Intel's spin that they have taken back market share from AMD in NOR flash. JPM was the other. Rivet of AMD anticipated in March that Intel's price cuts might win it back some share, but in the low density end. Spansion would concentrate on high density.
By Mark LaPedus
Silicon Strategies
June 01, 2004 (8:00 PM EDT)
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Intel Corp. is expected to narrow its second quarter forecast to the upper range of its previous guidance due to growing demand for NOR flash memory and the stabilization of the notebook PC market, according to a report from Pacific Crest Securities Inc. on Tuesday (June 1).
"During Intel's mid-quarter update on June 3, we expect the company to tighten its Q2 revenue guidance range to $7.9 billion to $8.1 billion from the previous range of $7.6 billion to $8.2 billion," said Michael McConnell, an analyst with Pacific Crest, an investment banking firm in Portland, Ore.
Overall, McConnell projected Intel will earn $0.24 a share on sales of $7.9 billion in the second quarter.
Intel disclosed its forecast for the second quarter when it reported first quarter revenue of $8.1 billion, down 7 percent sequentially and up 20 percent year-over-year. First quarter net income was $1.7 billion, down 20 percent sequentially and up 89 percent year-over-year. Earnings per share were 26 cents, down 21 percent sequentially and up 86 percent from 14 cents in the first quarter of 2003.
In 2003, Intel posted second-quarter revenue of $6.8 billion. Second quarter net income was $896 million. Earnings per share were $0.14.
There is good and bad news for Intel. "A workdown of excess notebook inventories, as evidenced by improving Taiwanese ODM unit shipments (up 12 percent sequentially), coupled by renewed flash memory market share gains at distributors and OEMs, should underlie a positive tone from management," McConnell said in the report.
But the desktop PC market remains sluggish amid seasonal trends. The company's bottom line will also be affected by an "ongoing stall in demand for desktop chip sets and motherboards ahead of the Grantsdale launch on June 21," he said.
Grantsdale is Intel's next-generation chip set, which supports its 90-nm Prescott desktop processor and double-data-rate SDRAM-II memory.
Sun and Futjitsu merge server business
EDIT: Thanks to buildingabetteranalyst
http://www.thestreet.com/_yahoo/tech/kcswanson/10163151.html?cm_ven=YAHOO&cm_cat=FREE&cm_ite....
"Under the terms of the new deal, Sun and Fujitsu will help curb R&D expenses by collaborating on technology development. They'll merge Sun's Sun Fire and Fujitsu's Primepower lines, respectively, to create a new family called Advanced Product Line (or APL)."
http://www.computers.us.fujitsu.com/www/products_primepower.shtml?products/servers/primepower/index
EDIT: This taken from the Yahoo post
"The above link is to the PRIMEPOWER page on Fujitsu's site. With SUN moving away from SPARC and toward Opteron, and PRIMEPOWER being all SPARC - this is a huge shift in Opteron placement. If the Sunfire V20z is going to be sold by Fujitsu in their PRIMEPOWER line, another level of cachet has been added to the Brand (and corporate acceptance)."
EDIT: All we need now is SUN-Fujitsu to merge with AMD
Schumacher forgot to wear his cap with the AMD logo so now it is tatooed on the back of his head.
“The company is working on a concept product that will provide internet access at low cost and low power with less than three watt consumption and will meet the basic computing needs like e-mail, chart preparation, presentation and word processing.”
The product will be a handheld application with a size of a small set-top box.
The company will, however, not take any responsibility for distributing the product and will have arrangements with telecom companies to offer comprehensive packages. The system will work on local area network (LAN), dial-up connections and TV output.
“A pilot project is being tested in Mexico and the results are expected in the next quarter,” said Keskar. The cost of the product is being worked out."
EDIT: It interests me, given Ruiz' nationality, that EMMA is being tested in Mexico first. I wonder if TelCel the telephone company is cooperating.
I thought that was worth repeating from the post. But I also wanted to point out before anyone else does that "Agatha" is spelt like this.
PC World on AMD (nice overview)
AMD Refreshes Athlon 64 CPUs
Four 64-bit chips with fast cache join Athlon family
http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,116341,tk,dn060104X,00.asp
Dothan piles the heat on Prescott
http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=16277
Twenty per cent of Intel returns have bent CPU pins
http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=16260
Double-booking could lead to next chip recession
Silicon Strategies
06/01/2004, 8:05 PM ET
SARATOGA, Calif.--A flood of double-bookings due to the lack of fab capacity could potentially trigger the beginning of the next recession in the semiconductor industry, according to a report from Advanced Forecasting Inc. on Tuesday (June 1)......
http://www.siliconstrategies.com/article/showArticle.jhtml?articleId=21400788
Transport TX46 (B4882)
Benefits and Applications
Quad 64-bit performance now available in a 2U: Tyan's Transport TX46 (B4882T46) delivers high-processing capabilities to the volume server segment. Using the power of the AMD Opteron™ 800 Series Processor, the Transport TX46 (B4882T46) also features two (2) SCSI hot-swap drive bays, support for up to 32GB of DDR400 Registered ECC memory, two (2) Gigabit Ethernet ports, a slim CD-ROM drive and support for slim FDD, built-in video, multiple PCI-X and legacy PCI expansion slots, front access USB ports and a full suite of LED system status indicators, making the Transport TX46 (B4882T46) a flexible, powerful solution for any cluster or other volume server application.
http://www.tyan.com/products/html/tx46b4882.html
also
TYAN-Built 4-Way AMD Opteron(tm) Platform Shakes Server Industry
http://www.amdzone.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=629
Emma reappears in Calcutta (sounds like an Agather Christe novel). It is Emma isn't it?
AMD casts its Net wide
ALOKANANDA GHOSH
Calcutta, June 1: The US-based AMD has unveiled its 50/15 strategy aimed at providing internet access to 50 per cent of the global population by 2015.
AMD is an integrated circuits supplier for computing, communications and consumer electronics.
AMD Far East (India) country manager Sanjeev Keskar said, “The company is working on a concept product that will provide internet access at low cost and low power with less than three watt consumption and will meet the basic computing needs like e-mail, chart preparation, presentation and word processing.”
The product will be a handheld application with a size of a small set-top box.
The company will, however, not take any responsibility for distributing the product and will have arrangements with telecom companies to offer comprehensive packages. The system will work on local area network (LAN), dial-up connections and TV output.
“A pilot project is being tested in Mexico and the results are expected in the next quarter,” said Keskar. The cost of the product is being worked out.
AMD, which has a 13 per cent market share in India according to IDC, will aggressively focus on establishing a leadership position.
“We will focus on the government, education, finance, manufacturing, service and telecom verticals,” said Haresh Bhatia, national channel manager. “The company has adopted a three-pronged approach to increase its direct presence, address end-customer needs through awareness and promotion and conduct web-based training programmes.”
AMD will also set up 25 ‘experience zones’ in the next three months in nine Indian cities. “This is part of our efforts to increase visibility,” Keskar said. “The response to the first phase of the project will determine the plans for the second phase of these showcase outlets.”
The zones will showcase AMD products and give customers a chance to experience 64-bit applications. These outlets will also serve as retail sales points.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1040602/asp/business/story_3321188.asp
also
AMD Woos Retailers To Take On Intel
INDRANIL CHAKRABORTY
KOLKATA: Catch, educate and convince them about the non Intel alternative processors. Create relationships with 7000 plus active small resellers and PC system builders, based on rewards and various loyalty programmes to have a countrywide penetration
http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=60405
SEATTLE & STUTTGART, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 1, 2004--Hochstleistungsrechenzentrum Stuttgart (HLRS) -- the Stuttgart High Performance Computing Center -- extended its long-term relationship with Cray Inc. (Nasdaq:CRAY) by awarding Cray an order to replace its existing Cray T3E(TM)-900/512 system with an Opteron-based high performance computing system and related services. Financial terms were not disclosed.
The 128-node, 256-processor system with a peak performance of one teraflop (one trillion calculations per second) was installed recently at HLRS' facility on the University of Stuttgart campus and was put into operation. The system will mainly serve as a university-wide resource that is available to faculty, staff and students for a wide range of research activities, according to HLRS Director Dr. Michael Resch. In addition, the new Opteron-based system will be made available to the industrial partners of HLRS through its public-private joint venture, hww.
"We are excited by Cray's re-emergence as an important force in high-performance computing," Dr. Resch said. "With this order, we will keep a close cooperation with one of the leading vendors. We will also get a chance to acquire a system that merges the potential of one of the most interesting and attractive processors with the technological know-how of Cray."
"We look forward to this continued partnership with HLRS. We are pleased to be partnering with one of Europe's leading high-performance computing centers and by their active interest in Cray's vision and roadmap," said Ulla Thiel, Cray's director of sales for Europe.
Resch said HLRS users predominantly turned to the 461-gigaflop Cray T3E system for physics applications, which can make efficient use of larger processor counts.
EDIT: Also
[May 27, 2004]
Cray Inc. to Present at Bear Stearns 15th Annual Technology Conference
SEATTLE --(Business Wire)-- May 27, 2004 -- Global supercomputer leader Cray Inc. (Nasdaq:CRAY) today announced that Cray executives will present on June 14th at 3:25 p.m. (Eastern Time)
http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2004/May/1044358.htm
Merril Lynch on Intel
Comment United States Semiconductors
1 June 2004
Joseph Osha Sidney Ho
Intel Corp .... Slight haircut
BUY Volatility Risk:
HIGH Reason for Report: Company Update, Estimates Change
Highlights:
• Intel is scheduled to provide a mid-quarter business
update on June 3. Prior to the update we are lowering
our Q2 revenue forecast by approximately $100
million to $7.95 billion, and our EPS estimate by a
penny to $0.26. We had previously expected sales to
track better than seasonally, but unit demand data so
far, including the just-published SIA numbers, don’t
support the higher numbers.
• Based on our checks with suppliers and distributors, it
appears that Q2 PC shipments are tracking seasonally,
while the notebook inventory issue has been resolved.
We expect Intel to narrow its revenue target from
$7.6-$8.2 billion to $7.8-$8.0 billion; the mid-point
represents a 2% sequential decline, which is in line
with seasonal trends.
• We’re less concerned about gross margin, and we’re
leaving our estimate at 61.5%. Intel managed to
exceed 62% last quarter, excluding the impact of its
settlement with Intergraph, and we do expect that
number to decline as Intel tries to keep inventories
from rising further. However, we don’t expect a shift
towards actual inventory reduction this quarter, and
we note that higher-margin 90nm parts are ramping.
• The pricing environment for Intel has been benign so
far this quarter, which should help underpin the
numbers. We’ve seen no official price cuts, and
small-lot pricing has remained firm as well.
Competitive pressure from AMD in the desktop and
notebook markets has been minimal.
• We reiterate our Buy rating on Intel. The stock trades
at a substantial discount to the industry average
multiple of 30x 2004E earnings, and is well positioned
to benefit from an increase in enterprise PC and server
spending. Expanding margins and low valuation
should drive improved performance in Intel’s stock
for the remainder of the year.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Expect Intel to narrow range to mid-point
Intel is scheduled to provide a mid-quarter business update
later this week (June 3). Based on our checks with
suppliers and distributors, it appears that Q2 PC shipments
are tracking seasonally, while the notebook inventory issue
has been resolved. We expect Intel to narrow its revenue
guidance from $7.6-$8.2 billion to $7.8-$8.0 billion; the
mid-point represents a 2% sequential decline, which is in
line with seasonal trends. We had previously expected
sales to track better than seasonally as the quarter
progresses, but unit demand data including the just-published
SIA numbers do not support the higher numbers.
Consequently, we are lowering our revenue forecast by
approximately $100 million to $7.95 billion, and EPS
estimate by a penny to $0.26.<<
>> Expect good margins, but keep an eye on
inventory
We’re less concerned about gross margin, and we’re
leaving our estimate at 61.5%. Intel managed to exceed
62% last quarter, excluding the impact of its settlement
with Intergraph, and we do expect that number to decline
as Intel tries to keep inventories from rising further.
However, we don’t expect a shift towards actual inventory
reduction this quarter, and we note that higher-margin
90nm parts continue to ramp. We’ll be interested in
hearing from Intel not only about absolute inventory
levels, but also about mix – we think it’s important for
Intel to focus on drawing down inventories of older
Northwood P4 products before pricing on those products
begins to decline.
Motherboard/notebook shipment data still only
mediocre
ML Taiwan analyst Tony Tseng predicts that combined
motherboard and notebook shipments will decline 6%
QoQ in Q2. Weak shipments of motherboards in April and
May were offset by growth in notebook shipments. June is
typically stronger for both categories heading into the
traditional back-to-school season. The data, along with the
SIA MPU data that we’ve included in our analysis below,
are useful directionally, and form the basis for the
reduction in our expected Intel unit shipments for Q2.
However, the figure below underscores how imprecise the
relationship is, and there are periodic disconnects.<<
>> Decent pricing environment
The pricing environment for Intel has been benign so far
this quarter, which should help underpin the numbers.
We’ve seen no official price cuts, and small-lot pricing has
remained firm as well. Competitive pressure from AMD
in the desktop and notebook markets has been minimal.
We looked at three high-end desktop MPUs at the end of
Q1 and compare their street prices in March and in May.
We find that street prices only declined 4% on average in
2004, as compared to 22% and 36% in the previous two
years for the three most expensive parts. Our weekly price
checks also found that street prices for most MPUs were
only slightly (5-10%) below list, which is strong by
historical standards.
$5 billion capex in 2005 looks realistic
With the transition to 300mm wafer mostly complete by
the end of 2004, we expect the relationship between capital
spending and cost of sales to resume its normal trajectory.
Intel recently announced another new 300mm fab in
Ireland that is just starting construction that could cost at
least $2 billion. While we don’t expect Intel to discuss next
year’s capital expenditure budget during the business
update, we think $5 billion looks realistic.
Reiterate Buy rating and $40 price target
The case for owning Intel continues to make sense. The
stock trades at a substantial discount to the semiconductor
industry average multiple of 30x on 2004E earnings, and is
well positioned to benefit from an increase in enterprise
PC and server spending. Expanding margins and low
valuation should drive improved performance in Intel’s
stock for the remainder of the year.
Our $40 price target for Intel is supported by our two-pronged
valuation analysis based on peak-cycle earnings
target and our proprietary ROOC (return on operating
capital) model. The main risk to our buy recommendation
and price target is unexpected weakness in the PC and
server end markets, which account for over 85% of Intel’s
revenue and all of its profits.
EDIT: Thanks to skeptically
Competition heats in X86, PowerPC embedded markets
By David Lammers
EE Times
June 01, 2004 (9:00 AM EDT)
AUSTIN, Texas — Competition stepped up a notch or two in the embedded X86 and PowerPC processor markets last week, and already the brickbats are flying.
Advanced Micro Devices Inc. said it would begin selling embedded processors based on its Athlon architecture, prompting one competitor to claim that AMD was merely trying to sell off "a warehouse full of old Durons" " an earlier-generation Athlon line " to the embedded market.
Separately, Applied Micro Circuits Corp. (San Diego) has set up an embedded PowerPC division here that is headed by several former managers of Motorola Inc.'s PowerPC program. AMCC, which bought IBM Corp.'s 400 series PowerPC assets in mid-April for $227 million, will likely compete against Motorola in the PowerPC segment, including data processing, where Motorola's PowerQuicc line dominates, said Gartner Dataquest analyst Tom Starnes.
The AMCC thrust adds a third leg to the PowerPC market, now divided roughly equally between IBM and Motorola's Freescale Semiconductor operation.
AMD bought Alchemy Semiconductor Inc. and its MIPS architecture processors three years ago and the Geode line of integrated X86 products from National Semiconductor Corp. last year. It rolled those assets into its personal connectivity solutions group (PCSG), here.
Last week, PCSG renamed the products acquired from National as the Geode GX line and said it would also begin selling a Geode NX line, based on the Athlon architecture. The operation also said it had contracted with a benchmarking organization, Synchromesh Computing, to develop a suite of 11 benchmarks aimed at downgrading the importance of a processor's megahertz measure and emphasizing its overall performance, including arithmetic, floating-point and graphics processing; cache size; and internal bus.
While AMD said it invites other X86 vendors to use the benchmarks, Centaur Technology president Glenn Henry called them "artificial," saying they are skewed to the AMD architecture's strong points. Centaur is a division of Taiwanese processor maker Via Technologies Inc.
Alan Weiss, CEO of Synchromesh, said the benchmarks emphasize the importance of processing elements other than the CPU. Weiss also runs the benchmarking lab that certifies processor performance scores for the Embedded Microprocessor Benchmark Consortium. Synchromesh was set up to do competitive analysis and other commercial benchmarks that lie outside EEMBC's focus on processor, rather than system-level, performance, said Weiss, who defended his benchmarks as "objective and neutral."
Centaur's Henry also claimed that AMD's NX products are "nothing more than rebranded Duron" processors, referring to the code name of 32-bit Athlons sold earlier by AMD. "AMD gets instant publicity by saying it has these NX processors to sell, but . . . these are just older, 32-bit Athlons that AMD wants to get rid of while it pushes its 64-bit technology to the personal computer market," he said.
Asked whether AMD had done a speed- and power-bin sort of its Athlon parts to come up with chips that would meet the thermal requirements of the embedded market, PCSG marketing director Erik Salo asserted that the company had modified its process technology to come up with products that consume less power. He would not specify the changes, calling them proprietary. AMD also "reduced the voltage and frequency to hit a power consumption target of 6 watts average and less than 10 watts maximum," Salo said.
The NX products are made at AMD's fab in Dresden, Germany, though the company is considering producing the parts at foundry United Microelectronics Corp. The Geode GX processors are fabbed by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.
Analysts said the industry will benefit from stepped-up competition in the X86 embedded arena, where chips must run cool enough to fit into systems that can't accommodate the fans found in PCs.
Excluding the Microsoft Xbox, the embedded X86 market in 2003 amounted to 13 million units, or about $30 million, said Tony Massimini, processor analyst at Semico Research Corp. (Phoenix). Centaur does well in the fast-growing, low-cost ($200 to $400 per unit) PC markets in China and India, while the Geode GX has a large share of the market for thin clients in corporate computing.
Massimini said the embedded-X86 fervor is rooted in new market segments that seek the software compatibility possible with PC-based applications. Point-of-sale equipment, automated teller machines, intelligent kiosks, industrial computing, set-top boxes and other "digital home connectivity systems" all are primed to accept the architecture, he said.
Intel Corp. has long had an embedded-X86 operation but "has not gone out of its way to develop the X86 embedded business, because there is not the same return as from the PC market," Massimini said. "Intel is more interested in promoting the Xscale architecture for portable products."
Will Strauss, president of Forward Concepts (Tempe, Ariz.), said AMD "is going to war" with a renewed interest in embedded, evidenced by its benchmarking initiative, aggressive marketing push and, most important, products that consume less power. The slower Geode GX processors consume less than 1 watt and thus may give "the RISC architectures, such as MIPS and ARM, a run for their money in the portable space," he said.
And if the NX power numbers are accurate, the Geode NX parts "run at less than half the power of comparable Pentiums from Intel," Strauss said.
Datacom duel While AMD and Centaur square off on the X86, AMCC will look to compete with Motorola's PowerPC operation in the data communications market.
The company's new embedded products group here is run by several former Motorola managers with PowerPC experience. Brian Wilkie, a former Motorola vice president, is AMCC's vice president in charge of the embedded products group; Mark McDermott, former head of the Motorola-IBM-Apple Somerset design center here, will run the engineering operation; and Sam Fuller, most recently the head of the RapidIO Association, will head marketing.
AMCC has an architectural license with IBM that will let the embedded products group create products based on acquired technology, said Thomas Tullie, AMCC's senior vice president of sales and WAN business. The standard products in the 400 series that AMCC picked up from IBM, including the 403, 405 and 440 processors, brought IBM an estimated $55 million in revenue in 2003.
Wilkie said AMCC's WAN operation and storage products group will use the PowerPC assets to attack vertical markets, while the embedded products group "will go after customers in horizontal markets," including control plane platforms.
http://www.eetimes.com/semi/news/showArticle.jhtml%3Bjsessionid=V1V2LDWOKMCIMQSNDBCSKHY?articleId=21....
Intel's Flash, Communication Ops Seen Strong
06.01.04, 11:06 AM ET
EDIT: Interesting choice of words. Says Intel "continues" to gain back market share from AMD...." Continues from when?
J.P. Morgan said the second-quarter processor business of Intel (nasdaq: INTC - news - people ), which represented 87% of the company's first-quarter revenue, is "roughly in line with expectations," according to channel checks. Other PC component suppliers such as Advanced Micro Devices (nyse: AMD - news - people ), Micron Technology (nyse: MU - news - people ) and Integrated Circuit Systems (nasdaq: ICST - news - people ) are also on track to meet J.P. Morgan's second quarter revenue and earnings estimates, according to the firm. The research firm said Intel's flash and communication operations, which represented the remaining 13% of first-quarter revenue, are "ahead of plan, leading to the slight upside" for the second quarter. Intel continues to gain back market share in communications from AMD at a few large accounts, most notably Nokia (nyse: NOK - news - people ), according to J.P. Morgan. The research firm raised the second-quarter revenue estimate to $7.95 billion from $7.9 billion but left the earnings estimate of 24 cents per share stand. J.P. Morgan said it expects Intel to raise its second-quarter revenue guidance to a range of $7.8 billion to $8.1 billion from a range of $7.6 billion to $8.2 billion. Intel will provide an update on the quarter after the market close on Thursday June 3. J.P. Morgan said it remains "lukewarm" on Intel stock, "particularly given the recent appreciation, due to overly optimistic consensus expectations and our belief in risk to estimates in both second-half 2004 and calendar 2005 due to inventory build at Intel and the approaching downturn." J.P. Morgan said, "We remain most concerned with the inventory bubble at Intel as inventory has risen to 79 days, the highest level since 1995. Intel's inventory days have reached this level twice in the last 10 years, with gross margins negatively impacted on both occasions." Intel, which J.P. Morgan rates at "neutral," is now "appropriately valued and should continue to trade in the middle of its historic range."
http://www.forbes.com/markets/2004/06/01/0601automarketscan05.html?partner=yahoo&referrer=
Dan3: That's just it - no links are given so I don't know if the author is an analyst. It may be the poster himself/herself.
AMD64 Technology Wins Best of Show at 2004 TechEd
Tuesday June 1, 12:01 am ET
Windows & .NET Magazine Name AMD64 Platform Overall Best of TechEd
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/040601/315081_1.html
SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 1, 2004--AMD (NYSE:AMD - News) announced today that the AMD64 platform was named Overall Best of TechEd 2004 by Windows & .NET Magazine and SQL Server Magazine.
Since its introduction with the launch of the AMD Opteron(TM) processor in April 2003, more than 1,000 software and hardware developers, OEMs, systems builders and end users have recognized the benefits of AMD64 technology -- an industry-standard approach to 64-bit computing that is designed to deliver simultaneous 32-bit and 64-bit performance.
"To be chosen overall winner in a field of more than 260 very competitive entries is a great achievement," said Marty Seyer, vice president and general manager of the AMD Microprocessor Business Unit. "It further underscores the value of customer-centric innovation: competitive, strategic solutions that are valued by our customers and their end-users. AMD64 technology with Direct Connect Architecture makes 32-bit-only system offerings potentially obsolete while supplying benefits and system advantages well beyond extending the instruction set."
"Simply put, the AMD64 platform, with Direct Connect Architecture and a simultaneous 32- and 64-bit computing environment, redefines the way people think about the future of x86 computing," said Mike Otey, senior technical editor for Windows & .NET Magazine. "Like all the Best of TechEd winners, AMD is a market leader that provides the most competitive advantage and value to the consumer."
Merril Lynch lowers Intel's earnings estimate
EDIT: This post by plantlife on Yahoo
"Lowers revenue estimate by 100 million, and EPS by one penny. All this ahead of Intels Mid-Quarter Update on Thursday. Just reported on CNBC"
EDIT: And this post by returnsmaximus says Dresdner upgrades Intel
"Intel (INTC) 28.55 +0.10: Dresdner upped to Buy from Hold citing improving notebook demand and valuation. The upgrade to Buy from Hold is due to improving demand for notebook PCs, a H204 PC market pickup, higher margins and attractive valuation. Our survey of Asian vendors points to improving orders for notebooks after 4-5 months. Firm believes this is the right time to turn positive on Intel stock. As a result, believes that Intel will upgrade its guidance in its Q204 MQU on June 3rd."
EDIT: This post by diar4vr appears to be a quote from a TA report but no link is given
"INTC made a one day reversal on daily chart and a rising head and shoulders pattern on the intraday 1 minute chart, both on 5/28/04. Both predict a negative bias for the stock price in the near term.
INTC is currently under distribution, it is being sold into strength. In addition to negative fundamental news for the company there are buyers who bought on the decline between late Feb and mid March ($30-$27) and are now able to break even and get their money back at these levels.
It is worth noting that although INTC will provide guidance update this week, it continues to underperform AMD. It is difficult to see how a quick turnaround is in the works since the company recently abandoned its roadmap strategy which it heavily promoted and invested in while at the same time downplayed the one pursued by AMD.
Some of the more tangible concerns about INTC products include the implication of rushing products to market and the fact that INTC products use more energy than AMD's. This last item is going to be a factor for a long time because the US will experience high electricity prices for a long time after oil prices come down due to domestic structural problems."
Linux boosts European server market
IDC reports 41.5 per cent annual revenue growth for Linux servers in western Europe
Robert Jaques, vnunet.com 01 Jun 2004
Boosted by stronger than expected demand for Intel x86 systems running Linux, the western European server market has made a "promising" start to 2004.
According to analyst IDC's latest European Server Tracker, the increasing role of Linux in both commercial and technical workload translated into 41.5 per cent annual revenue growth for Linux servers in western Europe.
Overall, Linux servers accounted for 15.1 per cent of server shipments and 7.1 per cent of server revenue in western Europe in the first quarter of 2004.
The x86 server segment led the recovery in the European server market, growing 23.2 per cent year on year.
Recently-launched 64-bit extensions to 32-bit architecture had a promising start, showing 69 per cent growth in unit shipments over the previous quarter.
Although this category accounted for less than two per cent of the total x86 market shipment in the first three months of the year, IDC expects this space to expand rapidly by 2005.
Overall the market enjoyed 7.7 per cent year-on-year growth in the first quarter with overall shipments of 371,000 units. This follows two consecutive quarters marked by positive growth.
But the analyst firm pointed out that the weak dollar has continued to play an important part in this ongoing European server spending rebound.
Had the dollar exchange rate remained constant throughout the year, the recorded growth would have turned slightly negative, IDC estimated.
"Server technologies and trends such as IT consolidation are leading the way to recovery," said Daniel Fleischer, senior analyst with IDC's European server group, in a statement.
"We see a great opportunity from the vendor and customer perspective for x86 servers, Linux and Windows servers, as well as server blades, all of which are fostering new deployments of IT infrastructure."
http://www.vnunet.com/news/1155508
Sun Serves up New Pricing Strategy, Products
By Michael Singer
Sun Microsystems (Quote, Chart) is focusing on the red-hot Asian Pacific marketplace to make its latest stand against rivals and launch some 30 new hardware and software products, plus per-citizen pricing models....
EDIT: I wonder if there are any Opteron give-aways involved or whether the opening of the Chinese market for SUN software will pave the way for SUN Opteron servers?
http://www.internetnews.com/ent-news/article.php/3361221
American Arium: debugging support for AMD64 architecture
American Arium announced support for AMD64 processor technology with the upcoming release of its debugging software, SourcePoint 7.0. AMD support includes the Opteron and Athlon 64 family of processors. A combination of SourcePoint 7.0 with the company's ECM-50 emulator not only supports the AMD processors but also the complete Intel Pentium family of processors and Intel 32- to 64-bit extensions. New features include hot plugging, improved target state management, support for Intel's EFI framework, and optional IDE.
SourcePoint 7.0 offers feature-rich, state-of-the-art debug functionality in an intuitive, user-friendly environment. Users get extensive run control and real time, integrated execution trace, giving them unsurpassed visibility to and manipulation of code via a series of intuitive screens and dialogs with numerous viewing and customization options. SourcePoint works with today's most popular compiler tool chains. It supports industry-standard input file formats and includes a robust C-like command language. Arium's SourcePoint IDE, which works hand-in-glove with SourcePoint 7.0, lets the user edit code "on-the-fly". The designer can go back and forth in the debugger and editor with ease, making simple changes less time consuming and larger changes easier to debug. SourcePoint IDE is an optional feature and ships under a separate license with the SourcePoint CD.
http://www.embedded-control-europe.com/prodnews?cat=1&pid=6237
mmoy: I assume you mean that the technical chart shows that Intel is in trouble, but the chartists gave no fundamental reason? An Intel warning is one of my fundamental short-term concerns. The likelihood is that it will adversely affect AMD for a time.
DARBES: Intel
Acer showcases Digital Home, Ferrari 3200, and new design concept notebooks at Computex 2004
Chairman and CEO Stan Shih is honored for his life-time contribution to the IT industry
TAIPEI, TAIWAN (1 June, 2004) - During the world's third largest IT show - Computex Taipei - Acer is proud to showcase its full range of IT products, under the theme Empowering Technology - Making Your Life Easier. This year's highlights include a range of digital home products, the next generation of Ferrari notebook - the Ferrari 3200, new look notebooks - TravelMate 3200 and Aspire 1800, and more.
Digital Home
The first opportunity to see Acer's range of digital home products since the initial announcement last November, they emphasize Acer's commitment to user empowerment through technology - represented by the designation 'e' in the product names. On display are the Aspire ePC, eBox (a hub that allows digital content to be played on home appliances), and 26-inch screen eTVD (an intelligent, multi-purpose LCD TV).
Ferrari 3200
A striking symbol of Acer and Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro's collaboration, the flawlessly designed Ferrari 3200 instills exceptional performance, brilliant graphics, and lightning-fast connectivity. At this year's Best Choice of Computex awards, the Ferrari 3200 was selected winner for outstanding product design.
New Design Concept Notebooks
The freshly launched Aspire 1800 and TravelMate 3200 sport Acer's new notebook design based around a folio concept. With their streamlined form, pure functional simplicity, and smooth curves, the new notebooks in light and dark shades of metallic finish blend in effortlessly with home and business environments. To improve the user experience, Acer's unique Empowering Key (eKey) launches a friendly interface, enabling users to operate their notebooks in the smartest and most productive way, and truly enjoy the benefit of technology. The Aspire 1800 features the intuitive Aspire Arcade for mobile entertainment, and is the next generation Intel® Pentium® 4 processor desktop replacement for extreme multitasking and nonstop activity. The TravelMate 3200 is a first true commercial Intel® Centrino® 2-spindle innovation weighing at 2kg, and at 1-inch in thickness.
Full Range Product Lines
Acer products step out in force at the Computex show, visitors will also have the chance to see: the Altos line of dependable server and storage systems; Veriton commercial desktop PCs; LCD monitors including the RedDot award-winning 17-inch screen AL1731; projectors and other peripherals; and more.
At the Computex 2004 opening press conference, Acer Chairman and CEO Stan Shih, shared his thoughts on the convergence of PCs with digital home devices, and was honored for his life-time contributions to the IT industry.
Computex Taipei 2004 runs from June 1~5, 2004. Acer's booth is located in Hall 2, F188.
http://global.acer.com/about/news.asp?id=6477
The Ferrari 3200 by Acer collects Best Choice of Computex Taipei 2004 award
TAIPEI, TAIWAN (1 June, 2004) - Acer was honored at Asia's most influential global IT event once again, by receiving the Best Choice Award of Computex Taipei 2004 for the Ferrari 3200 notebook. The third annual Best Choice Award of Computex recognizes Taiwan's foremost innovation and excellence in information technology, and has selected the Ferrari 3200 for its impeccable design...............
http://global.acer.com/about/news.asp?id=6475
paul: Doesn't that open up a can of worms..... Could you add a few more lines to explain the significance?
Tiger: Accepting your figures at face-value - that P/E is the norm for semi-conductor stocks on a twelve months forward-looking basis. By the time earnings are announced in the second week of January 2005, a forward looking p/e of 27 could result in a stock price somewhere between $30 and $55.
BTW I wonder if those two announcements - Broadcom and the GEODE thin-client design kit - are AMD's only announcements in Taipei. I hope not. The fact that they came on Monday morning might suggest that they are leaving room for further announcements on Tuesday and Wednesday. On Thursday we have CFO Rivet presenting at the Smith Barney semiconductor conference in California. He may have something to say - if not a formal announcement, perhaps something on 90 nm progress.
dacaw: They are remarkable numbers. How do you explain them?
AMD releases 939 pin Athlon FXs
http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=16257
Broadcom and AMD Partner to Develop AMD Opteron(TM) Processor-Based Server Chipset Solutions
June 01, 2004]
http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2004/Jun/1044828.htm
TAIPEI, Taiwan, June 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Computex 2004 -- Broadcom Corporation and AMD today announced a strategic relationship in which AMD will support Broadcom's development of server platform products that support the AMD Opteron(TM) processor architecture.
By leveraging the two companies' proven expertise in high-performance system input-output (I/O), storage management and control, and microprocessor technologies, Broadcom and AMD will create enabling building blocks that allow the development of high-performance, compelling platform solutions for servers. This solution is planned to enable original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to bring to market highly differentiated products and allow end customers to deploy higher I/O bandwidth and greater reliability, availability and serviceability (RAS) solutions.
Server chipset products are the chips that connect central processing units (CPUs) to memory and input-output (I/O) functions for enterprise computing, networking and storage solutions. The relationship between Broadcom and AMD is planned to provide a 64-bit x86 platform to the server market that achieves optimum performance/price metrics.
"This relationship gives AMD a highly credible server I/O partner and further enables our shared customers to reap the benefits of the AMD Opteron processor with Direct Connect architecture," said Ben Williams, Vice President of Enterprise and Server/Workstation Business at AMD. "Broadcom's experience in leading-edge chipset technology should strengthen our offerings for the enterprise IT environment and is a natural fit for the industry's highest- performing x86-based server platform - the AMD Opteron processor."
"Broadcom and our ServerWorks subsidiary have a long and proven record of providing leading technology to the server market," said Gary Thomas, Vice President and General Manager of Broadcom's ServerWorks subsidiary. "By marshaling all of the expertise of Broadcom's Enterprise Computing Group - including chipsets, advanced networking, server architectural IP, and storage management and control - to work with the high performance AMD Opteron processor, we will enable the industry to experience the highest performance platforms yet."
Major server OEMs such as Sun Microsystems, Inc. view the Broadcom-AMD partnership as a positive means for them to create even more compelling and competitive solutions for their customers.
"The Broadcom-AMD partnership is a critical aspect of the AMD Opteron processor ecosystem that Sun is helping to develop," said John Fowler, Executive Vice President, Network Systems at Sun Microsystems, Inc. "We are pleased to see Broadcom join AMD as one of Sun's long-term partners in the server space."
Broadcom's initial server I/O chipset samples for use with the AMD Opteron processor platform are expected to be available in the fall of 2004.
About Broadcom Broadcom Corporation is a leading provider of highly integrated semiconductor solutions that enable broadband communications and networking of voice, video and data services. We design, develop and supply complete system-on-a-chip (SoC) solutions incorporating digital, analog, radio frequency (RF), microprocessor and digital signal processing (DSP) technologies, as well as related hardware and software system-level applications. Our diverse product portfolio addresses every major broadband communications market and includes solutions for digital cable and satellite set-top boxes; high definition television (HDTV); cable and digital subscriber line (DSL) modems and residential gateways; high-speed transmission and switching for local, metropolitan, wide area and storage networking; home and wireless networking; cellular and terrestrial wireless communications; Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) gateway and telephony systems; broadband network and security processors; and SystemI/O(TM) server solutions. These technologies and products support our core mission: Connecting everything(R). Broadcom is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., and may be contacted at 1-949- 450-8700 or at http://www.broadcom.com/ .
Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995:
All statements included or incorporated by reference in this release, other than statements or characterizations of historical fact, are forward- looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on our respective current expectations, estimates and projections about our industry, management's beliefs, and certain assumptions made by us, all of which are subject to change. Forward-looking statements can often be identified by words such as "anticipates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "predicts," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," "may," "will," "should," "would," "could," "potential," "continue," "ongoing," similar expressions, and variations or negatives of these words. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause the actual results for AMD or Broadcom to differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statement. Such risks include the possibility that solutions providers will not provide the infrastructure, including operating systems and applications, to support this platform in the required timeframe; and that the pricing, marketing programs, product bundling, new product introductions or other activities of the companies' competitors targeting the companies' respective processor or chipset businesses will prevent attainment of the companies' respective current processor, chipset and related semiconductor sales plans. We urge investors to review in detail the risks and uncertainties in AMD's and Broadcom's respective filings with the United States Securities Exchange Commission.
For each of Broadcom and AMD, its Annual Report on Form 10-K, subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, recent Current Reports on Form 8-K, and other Securities and Exchange Commission filings discuss some of the important risk factors that could contribute to such differences or otherwise affect its business, results of operations and financial condition. The forward-looking statements in this release speak only as of this date. Neither Broadcom nor AMD undertakes any obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statement for any reason.
Broadcom(R), the pulse logo, Connecting everything(R), ServerWorks(TM) and SystemI/O(TM) are trademarks of Broadcom Corporation and/or its affiliates in the United States and certain other countries. AMD, the AMD Arrow logo, AMD Opteron and combinations thereof, are trademarks of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. Any other trademarks or trade names mentioned are the property of their respective owners.
Broadcom Corporation
Contact: Trade Press, Mike He, Sr. Communications Specialist,+1-408-922-8083, or mhe@broadcom.com, or Business Press, Bill Blanning, Sr.Director, Corporate Communications, +1-949-926-5555, or blanning@broadcom.com,or Investor Relations, T. Peter Andrew, Sr. Director, Investor Relations,+1-949-926-5663, or andrewtp@broadcom.com, all of Broadcom; or Teresa Osborne,PR - Computation Products Group of AMD, +1-512-602-0040, orteresa.osborne@amd.com
Web site: http://www.broadcom.com/
AMD Geode GX Thin Client Reference Design Kit Delivers
Complete Solution for Quick Time-to-Production of
Thin-Client Offerings
http://www2.ccnmatthews.com/scripts/ccn-release.pl?/current/0601001n.html
June 1 2004
AUSTIN, Texas--(CCNMatthews - Jun 1, 2004) -
Comprehensive Reference Design Kit Enables Quick Design of
Low-Power Thin Clients, Reducing Development Costs and Time to
Market
AMD (NYSE:AMD) today announced the availability of the AMD
Geode(TM) GX thin client reference design kit (RDK) that enables
the rapid development of thin-client products for a number of
markets, including enterprise, blade PCs, point-of-sale and
education among others. The GX thin client RDK is a flexible,
complete package that includes both hardware and software
solutions.
Based on the AMD Geode(TM) GX 533@1.1W processor,(a) the AMD
Geode GX thin client RDK allows designers to develop small form
factor devices that operate at low power and reduce total cost of
design and development. The first AMD Geode(TM) Solutions RDK
offering is a third generation design, built on the AMD Geode GX
processor platform. Developed on a 4.7" x 5.3" PC board, the AMD
Geode GX thin client RDK is a best in class platform that
leverages the low power, high integration of the GX 533@1.1W
processor. Using the thin client RDK, designers can easily create
high-performing, small form factor devices that take advantage of
the processor's low power.
"With the introduction of the new AMD Geode GX thin client RDK
designers now have a single, flexible platform to develop
low-power, high-performance thin clients," said Erik Salo, AMD's
director of marketing for the Personal Connectivity Solutions
Group. "The GX thin client RDK, built on the Geode GX 533@1.1W
processor, enables design engineers to develop products capable
of supporting greater functionality without having to worry about
sufficient processor performance."
"Today's introduction of AMD's thin client reference design kit
will be a significant benefit for thin-client device
manufacturers interested in more rapidly developing
small-footprint affordable designs powered by high-performance
AMD processors," said Todd Brix, group product manager, Mobile
and Embedded Devices Division, Microsoft Corp. "We're excited
that AMD is building on Microsoft's robust and reliable Windows
Embedded platform to give device makers greater freedom to
innovate, differentiate and bring devices to market for their
customers more quickly."
With the launch of the AMD Geode GX thin client RDK thin client
ODMs and OEMs have the ability to use low cost system engineering
concepts, creating products quickly and affordably. AMD continues
to drive the thin client market with the successful Geode
processor product line and reference design kits focusing on low
power and high performance. The complete system offered by AMD
includes information on both hardware and software requirements
and offers driver solutions for the Microsoft(R) Windows CE,
Microsoft Windows XP Embedded, and Linux operating systems.
"The thin client market remains largely untapped and is one IDC
has identified for strong growth," said Bob O'Donnell, IDC. "Thin
client ODMs and OEMs require low cost system engineering concepts
that allow for products to be developed quickly and affordably.
The addition of complete system thin client RDKs that support
designer's needs to quickly and efficiently deliver low power,
small footprint solutions will drive the market."
"Customers' demand for high performance thin client solutions
that use less power continues to drive the market," said Soon
Poh, vice president for DT Research, Inc. (DTR). "A small
footprint, versatile device requires a careful balance between
system performance, integration, and manufacturability. The AMD
Geode GX thin client RDK helps us to readily deliver innovative
products that meet our customer needs. Consistent with that,
DTR's first RDK-based thin client will be available to OEMs by
mid-summer."
Partners contributing to the development of the Geode GX thin
client RDK are: Citrix, Insyde Software, General Software,
M-Systems and Realtek.
/T/
? About the AMD Geode(TM) GX Thin Client RDK
? The Geode GX thin client RDK includes:
? -- AMD Geode GX 533@1.1 W processor(a)
? -- Small form factor -- approximately 4.7" x 5.3"
? -- Integrated 2D Accelerated Graphics supporting:
? -- 1280 x 1024 at 24 bit at 100 Hz refresh
? -- 1600 x 1200 at 16 bit at 85 Hz refresh
? -- Integrated DACs (3 x 8 bits RGB)
? -- 3D Now! And MMX Instruction Set
? -- Legacy I/O option capabilities through a daughter card
? -- Demonstration images supporting RDP, ICA, JAVA, Flash, HTML,
and local multimedia
/T/
AMD Reaches Performance Everest with New 64-bit Chips
Processor Maker Delivers New Socket 939 Chips
..................While there are some questions about volume availability of the new AMD64 chips, AMD is still likely to fulfill the high-end orders on its new processors. Moreover, the chips are able to bit Intel’s Pentium 4 high-performance chips today...............
http://www.xbitlabs.com/news/cpu/display/20040531182302.html
AMD Ices Competition With Four New Desktop Processors
NEWS RELEASE TRANSMITTED BY CCNMatthews
JUNE 1, 2004 - 00:15 ET
AMD Ices Competition With Four New Desktop Processors
TAIPEI, Taiwan--(CCNMatthews - Jun 1, 2004) -
Offers Exclusive Enhanced Virus Protection for More Secure
Business and Consumer Desktop Computing, When Enabled by Upcoming
Microsoft(R) Windows(R) XP Service Pack 2
At Computex, AMD (NYSE:AMD) today raised PC performance to new
heights with the launch of four new processors in the
award-winning AMD Athlon(tm) 64 processor family featuring the
exclusive Enhanced Virus Protection (EVP) capability for desktop
and mobile computing when enabled by the upcoming Microsoft(R)
Windows(R) XP Service Pack 2. The AMD Athlon 64 FX-53 and AMD
Athlon 64 processors 3800+, 3700+ and 3500+ provide businesses
and consumers world-class performance and a more secure computing environment. The AMD Athlon 64 processors are also the only desktop processors to offer an innovative power-management
capability with AMD's Cool'n'Quiet(tm) technology.
"AMD offers the highest performing PC processors today -- hands
down," said Marty Seyer, vice president and general manager of
AMD's Microprocessor Business Unit. "Enhanced Virus Protection, an exclusive benefit of desktop and mobile AMD64 processors, will provide another layer of protection against many rampant virus attacks when enabled by the upcoming Microsoft Windows XP SP2."
The AMD Athlon FX-53 processor and AMD Athlon processors 3800+
and 3500+ are now available in AMD's new 939-pin package, a
platform designed to provide customers with enhanced performance
and longevity.
AMD64 processors also feature the exclusive Direct Connect
Architecture. Direct Connect Architecture directly connects the
memory controller and I/O to the central processor unit,
improving overall system performance and efficiency. Direct
Connect Architecture helps eliminate the bottlenecks inherent in
older, competitive technologies that feature a front-side bus. In fact, Direct Connect Architecture provides up to 1600MHz, while the competitor's current technology runs at 800MHz.
HP is among the computer manufacturers and system builders
supporting the extended AMD Athlon 64 processor line.
"HP is committed to offering consumers the latest technology
enhancements in our platforms, providing them with a superior
computing experience," said Sam Szteinbaum, vice president, North America Consumer Computing Organization, HP. "With the new line of AMD processors, we are able to offer our Compaq X Gaming PC customers a powerful gaming system -- enabling a more realistic and exciting view of their favorite PC games."
The Compaq X Gaming PC, which will be available in the United
States in July, will support the AMD Athlon 64 FX-53 processor
and AMD Athlon 64 processors 3800+ and 3500+.
Only AMD64 technology addresses the need for virus protection in
x86 processors by providing the capability for a more secure
environment with Enhanced Virus Protection when enabled by the
upcoming Microsoft Windows XP SP2.
"There is a strong desire in the PC industry to secure its
platforms against the increasing assault of viruses and attacks.
As companies like Microsoft and AMD push towards the 64-bit
platform, technologies that usher in a new generation of secure
computing are invaluable to the industry as a whole," said
analyst Rob Enderle of The Enderle Group.
Microsoft Corp. most recently discussed their vision for 64-bit
computing on the desktop during Bill Gates' keynote at WinHEC on
May 4, 2004. Microsoft's next operating system, expected in the
next two years, will be based on 64-bit instructions and company
officials continue to underscore the arrival of pervasive 64-bit
computing.
"A fundamental piece of next-generation computing is driving
64-bit chips into the mainstream, where you don't have to think
of high-end computing and consumer PC computing as two separate
things," said Chris Jones, vice president, Core Operating Systems Division, Microsoft. "AMD has successfully delivered the
reliable, high-performance AMD64 platform to Windows users who
don't want to settle for 32-bit computing."
The award-winning AMD Athlon 64 desktop processors also feature
Cool'n'Quiet technology, an innovative system-level feature that
lowers the power consumption of the PC when maximum performance
is not needed. A PC with AMD's Cool'n'Quiet technology can
consume less power, and run cooler and quieter on most
applications, making AMD Athlon 64 processors the ideal solution
for PCs that run Microsoft Windows Media Center.
Availability
The new AMD Athlon 64 FX-53 processor and AMD Athlon 64
processors 3800+, 3700+ and 3500+ are available immediately
worldwide. AMD is introducing the AMD Athlon FX-53 processor, and AMD Athlon processor models 3800+ and 3500+ in a new recyclable Processor-In-a-Box (PIB) packaging developed to improve ease-of-use and reduce environmental impact.
Pricing
All pricing is in 1,000-unit quantities. The AMD Athlon 64 FX-53
processor is priced at $799. The AMD Athlon 64 processor models
3800+, 3700+ and 3500+ are priced at $720, $710 and $500,
respectively. For pricing details please visit:
http://www.amd.com/pricing.
About AMD64 technology
AMD64 evolves the industry-standard 32-bit x86 architecture to
support the demanding 64-bit environment that will enable future
generations of computer functionality and productivity. AMD
designed the AMD64 platform to allow end users to enjoy reliable, best-in-class performance on the 32-bit software they own today while preparing for a seamless transition to tomorrow's high-performance 64-bit applications.
Since the introduction of the AMD64 architecture in 2003, the AMD Opteron(tm) processor for servers and workstations and the AMD Athlon 64 processors for desktop and notebook computers have
earned more than 45 awards for innovation and performance, and
the support of more than 1,000 hardware and software developers,
OEMs and distributors.
About AMD
AMD (NYSE:AMD) designs and produces innovative microprocessors,
Flash memory devices and low-power processor solutions for the
computer, communications and consumer electronics industries. AMD
is dedicated to delivering standards-based, customer-focused
solutions for technology users, ranging from enterprises and
governments to individual consumers. For more information, visit
www.amd.com.
AMD, the AMD Arrow logo, AMD Athlon, AMD Opteron and combinations
thereof, and Cool'n'Quiet are trademarks of Advanced Micro
Devices Inc. Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of
Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other jurisdictions.
Other product and company names are for informational purposes
only and may be trademarks of their respective companies.
-30-
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
Advanced Micro Devices Inc.
Suzy Pruitt, 512-602-4392 (PR)
suzy.pruitt@amd.com
or
Mike Haase, 408-749-3124 (IR)
.........
http://www2.ccnmatthews.com/scripts/ccn-release.pl?/current/0601002n.html
Flash Bit Growth Rate to Hit 209%
Online Staff -- Electronic News, 5/26/2004
EDIT: This is from a post on Yahoo by tennbuba. The link does not work. I have Google-searched Web Feet Research and include the url for its home page.
http://www.web-feetresearch.com/
"Additional production capacity, transition to 300mm wafers and the 90nm node as well as an increase of the multi-bit cell components, are driving consecutive yearly demand bit growth rates for flash memory, according to Monterey, Calif.-based Web-Feet Research.
The firm expects the demand bit growth rate for 2004 to increase by 209 percent, 191 percent for 2005 and 150 percent for 2006.
In addition, by 2006, Web-Feet Research predicts that there will be an additional nine capacity points on the flash memory market: three NOR 1bit/cell, two NOR 2bits/cell, two NAND 1bit/cell and two NAND 2bits/cell components. As a result, there will be 31 commercially available flash memory component capacity points, up from 22.
In terms of the flash memory demand/production capacity ratio, there is an ongoing overdemand situation for both NOR and NAND through Q4 of this year, with an imbalance as high as about 16 percent for the NAND 1bit/cell components in Q2. The market will break even in Q4 for NAND low capacity components, the firm said.
The good news is that because of aggressive production capacity ramping by established players along with new players, the imbalance situation should rectify itself for all flash memory components by Q1 of next year, Web-Feet said."
http://64.4.43.250/cgi-bin/linkrd?_lang=EN&lah=e1c62167b571683b6bbb6f1e6b91b7ab& lat=1086054269&hm___action=http%3a%2f%2femail%2eelectronicnews%2ecom%2fcgi%2dbin 2%2fDM%2fy%2fehCH0HRHD30DbD0CDWD0Ax
Tiger: The warranty is a major selling-point for the Sony products I listed. I have never had to use it though.
EDIT: A year ago, in the UK, my large screen Sony TV was rendered useless by a direct lighting strike that made a hole in the roof of the neighbouring building. It knocked out all my neighbours' computers except mine (it was a Compaq and had an inbuilt power surge controller). A Sony specialist came to look at the TV. It could be restored, he said, but would never be the same again. I found out that he made a nice living restoring old Sony's and re-selling them.