Transmeta (Semiconductor) (TMTA)

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Hmm, dependent would simply mean coining the deal into a contract, and after the tech transfer the only dependence would be a small fixed payment of $2.5 mill a quarter. It isn't really a dependence where TMTA has to deliver let's say a CPU on a ongoing basis.

As far as I understand it, LR2 really shines in combination with other powersaving techniques. Hence it could very well advance certain specs of certain chips. Mobile CPUs for application that idle most of the time, just to name a one.

You have technical reason. However in the end it all comes down to financials. So if I would be an Intel investor I surely would want them to optimize that.

So far for my speculation about who the next LR2 customer might be. An analyst instead suggested Toshiba would be next. Another nice option would be TSMC. TMTA already has partnered with them in the past. Also they have been in the news recently for building a huge new 65 and 45 nm fab:







TSMC plans $7.5 billion superfab, says report

Peter Clarke
EE Times
(08/11/2005 6:49 AM EDT)

LONDON -- Leading foundry Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. has applied to build a next-generation 300-mm wafer fab in Taichung, according to a Taipei Times report, which referenced a science park official and a TSMC spokesman as sources.

The final manufacturing capacity of the plant is planned to be more than 100,000 wafers per month, the report said. The fab's total cost could be an unprecedented $7.5 billion, the report said, which isroughly triple the cost of the current generation of fabs. "TSMC submitted its operation proposal for our review and approval on Friday," the report quoted Yang Wen-ke, deputy director-general of the Provisional Office of Central Taiwan Science Park, as saying Wednesday (Aug. 10).

TSMC is expected to spend a total of NT$240 billion (about $7.5 billion) to build the fab to manufacture chips using the most-advanced 65-nanometer and 45-nanometer manufacturing processes on 300-mm diameter wafers, the report said quoting Yang who cited TSMC's proposals.

TSMC expects to break ground for the shell of the building in January 2007 and start production of chips 18 months later in August 2008, with shipments at a rate of 11,000 wafers per month, the report said referencing the proposal.

The ultimate capacity of the planned superfab is expected to be 105,000 wafers per month after a three-phase expansion program is completed within five to ten years, the report said referencing the proposal.

TSMC spokesman Tzeng Jinn-haw confirmed that TSMC has applied to build a fab in the Central Taiwan Science Park, the report said. But the report said he added that the Taichung expansion would not begin until after TSMC's Fab-12 in Hsinchu and Fab-14 in Tainan have become fully loaded.

http://www.eetimes.com/news/latest/business/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=168600662