TI announces a DSP-based open multimedia application platform to be used in next generation wireless products Tom Foremski Texas Instruments (TI) said that Nokia has chosen its DSP based Open Multimedia Application Platform to be used with Nokia’s future wireless information devices . The TI platform has been optimised to support Symbian’s EPOC communications software. TI estimates that within five ...

Iridium aiming for restructuring, not bankruptcy Tom Foremski The troubled Iridium satellite phone venture is not going to seek protection from its creditors by filing for bankruptcy and will seek to restructure its debts. Speaking at a telecommunications conference, Iridium Chief Financial Officer Leo Mondale said the company is in talks with strategic partners and its creditors to seek the ...

Isonics Corporation and Cypress Semiconductor sign silicon-28 R&D agreement Tom Foremski Cypress Semiconductor says it will test a new type of silicon wafer in its fabs which could help alleviate heat dissipation problems in high performance chips. Cypress will use wafers made out of isotopically pure silicon-28 from Colorado based Isonics. The focus will be on producing 0.25 micron CMOS ...

Intel plans microprocessor price cuts to recapture market share Tom Foremski Intel is again planning to cut prices on its microprocessors placing pressure on rival Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) as it tries to recapture lost market share. Prices on Intel Celeron and notebook microprocessors will be cut by as much as 20 per cent in June as Intel accelerates its ...

Synopsys takes fast route into IC layout tool market Richard Ball Synopsys has announced the next stage of its push into physical layout of chips. FlexRoute is a tool that allows IC designers to perform top-level routing of blocks within the chip. “We are taking some physical functions which were done in place and route, and bringing them into the ...

Plextek claims breakthrough in mobile phone radiation Richard Ball An antenna that is claimed to dramatically reduce exposure to radiation from mobile phones has been designed by communications consultancy Plextek. The antenna is designed to direct the transmitted signal away from the mobile users’ head. “It’s called a flat plate or patch antenna, made out of a circuit board,” said ...

Videologic’s licensing programme displays results Roy Rubenstein VideoLogic has moved into the black for the first time as a publicly quoted company. It is also to have a new name. The Kings Langley-based graphics firm reported ?1.8m pre-tax profits in the year ending March 3. This compares to a loss of ?2.3m for the same period last year. “Our decision ...

Intel, HP reveal IA-64 instruction set architecture Tom Foremski Intel and development partner Hewlett-Packard have revealed the first major disclosure on the forthcoming Intel IA-64 64 bit microprocessor, code named Merced. The companies have posted on their web sites the IA-64 Application Instruction Set Architecture Guide which describes the application instruction set, architecture features and programming model for IA-64 processors. ...

Actel rescues GateField with $8m Tom Foremski Actel has come up with $8m to rescue floundering GateField, a producer of reprogrammable logic chips. The money is in the form of a loan that is backed by a promissory note convertible into GateField shares. Actel has a strategic alliance with the company which gives it access to reprogrammable flash based logic ...

Seiko Instruments develops a chip that includes a TCP/IP stack Tom Foremski Seiko Instruments USA has developed a chip that includes a TCP/IP stack allowing it to easily network with other computers over Internet connections. The iChip S7600A, designed in co-operation with Silicon Valley firm iReady, is designed to interface with a low cost eight bit microprocessor, making it perfect ...