computer chip – News Stories About computer chip - Page 2

Sun Banks on Lasers
to Make Next Speed Leap

Mar 24, 2008 1:49 PM CDT

Sun Banks on Lasers to Make Next Speed Leap

Using light, not wires, to connect chips could make computers 1,000 times faster

(Newser) - Sun Microsystems is moving toward connecting computer chips using lasers instead of wires, a move that could make computers 1,000 times faster. The company snagged a $44 million Pentagon contract to continue work that could also mean smaller, more energy-efficient machines. It won’t be easy, though: A Sun...

Intel, Microsoft
Fund Multicore
Research

Mar 17, 2008 12:50 PM CDT

Intel, Microsoft Fund Multicore Research

Future products call for chips with many more microprocessors

(Newser) - Intel and Microsoft will fund researchers at two universities working on new programming techniques for multicore chips, sources told the Wall Street Journal. The companies will reportedly provide $2 million annually for five years, to speed the development of chips that can contain dozens—or even hundreds—of microprocessors of...

Intel: Cheap Memory Won't Erase Profits

Mar 5, 2008 11:17 PM CST

Intel: Cheap Memory Won't Erase Profits

New markets will protect company from NAND flash price drops

(Newser) - Steep drops in the price of NAND flash memory have hit Intel's profits, but CEO Paul Otellini vows it's not going to put the company in the red, the AP reports. Prices of the chips have fallen more than 50% recently, much more than the chipmaking giant had predicted. Otellini...

Etch-A-Sketch Newest Chip Design Tool

Mar 4, 2008 11:57 AM CST

Etch-A-Sketch Newest Chip Design Tool

Nano-sized wires can be drawn, erased using atomic microscope

(Newser) - Imagine a computer chip that could literally have wires drawn onto it and erased like an etch-a-sketch. That’s what University of Pittsburgh researchers have been able to create, Technology Review reports. To demonstrate the technology, researchers drew the tip of an atomic force microscope across the chip like a...

Intel Trims
Q1 Profit Projections

Mar 4, 2008 7:12 AM CST

Intel Trims Q1 Profit Projections

An oversupply of flash memory chips is continuing to drive down prices

(Newser) - Falling prices for flash memory prompted chipmaker Intel Corp to trim its first quarter gross-profit projection slightly yesterday, driving share prices down nearly 3% in after-hours trading, reports Bloomberg. Analysts said oversupply for NAND flash chips—used in cameras, music devices, and mini-storage devices—would likely persist into the third...

Intel Pushes 'Atom' Chips

Mar 3, 2008 12:20 PM CST

Intel Pushes 'Atom' Chips

Tiny microprocessors are intended for mobile Internet devices and low-end computers

(Newser) - Intel will push its tinest new chips behind the brand name Atom in an effort to create demand for two emerging types of computing devices. The Atom line includes chips already announced by the company, reports the Wall Street Journal. One, formerly known as Silverthorne, is aimed at cellphone-sized devices...

Intel Makes Smaller, Cheaper Chip

Feb 22, 2008 1:10 PM CST

Intel Makes Smaller, Cheaper Chip

Processor targeted at very low-end computers

(Newser) - Intel is working on a tiny, inexpensive microprocessor aimed at very low-end computers. Code-named Diamondville, the chip is for computers priced under $250, especially portable ones that Intel calls Netbooks. Manufacturers are creating such machines for emerging markets, as well as for industrialized countries, where they’re often bought as...

EU Raids Intel's German Offices

Feb 12, 2008 12:05 PM CST

EU Raids Intel's German Offices

World's biggest chip maker may face new antitrust allegations

(Newser) - EU investigators raided Intel’s German office today, searching for evidence that the chip maker has broken antitrust laws, the BBC reports. The European Commission has already opened a case against Intel for monopolistic business practices, but officials said the surprise raid was the first step in its investigation, signaling...

Intel Joins Push for Low-Power Chips

Feb 4, 2008 12:51 PM CST

Intel Joins Push for Low-Power Chips

Promoting chips geared toward mobile Internet devices

(Newser) - Intel is developing a low-power-consuming chip aimed at a new category of mobile Internet devices, or MIDs, which range between a cell phone and laptop in size. The company’s new MID chip, expected out in the second quarter, draws about a tenth of the power used by Intel’s...

AMD Gets Closer to Profitable

Jan 18, 2008 11:48 AM CST

AMD Gets Closer to Profitable

Investors relieved despite chip maker's big loss

(Newser) - Advanced Micro Devices pleased investors with its fourth-quarter financial report yesterday, as it neared profitability despite a big loss that included its acquisition of graphics chip maker ATI Technologies. AMD execs said they expect to break even early in the second half of 2008, reports the New York Times. AMD...

Breakthrough Speeds Up, Shrinks Chips

Dec 6, 2007 4:11 PM CST

Breakthrough Speeds Up, Shrinks Chips

Huge supercomputers may be reduced to the size of laptops

(Newser) - IBM scientists have reached a “significant milestone” in chip technology, using optical signals to speed up and shrink the largest multicore processors. The breakthrough controls light pulses with a device called a wave-guide, a wire-like structure on the chip that communicates among processors; hybrid electronic-optic chips could reduce refrigerator-sized...

Semiconductor Sales Rise While Prices Fall

Dec 3, 2007 1:52 PM CST

Semiconductor Sales Rise While Prices Fall

Main growth in Asian-Pacific region

(Newser) - Semiconductor sales in October went up 5% worldwide from last year, thanks to strong growth in the Asian-Pacific region and Japan, and an industry association forecasts 3.8% growth for the year, reports the Wall Street Journal. Meanwhile prices have dropped rapidly -- "Consumers are reaping huge benefits from...

Chip Maker AMD Gets
Emirate Cash

Nov 16, 2007 4:39 PM CST

Chip Maker AMD Gets Emirate Cash

Abu Dhabi buys 8.1% stake in Intel rival for $622 million

(Newser) - The government of Abu Dhabi, through its investment arm, bought an 8.1% stake in Advanced Micro Devices for $622 million. It will receive 49 million newly-issued AMD shares, but won't get any board representation. The computer chip maker desperately needs the cash after a $396 million loss during the...

Chip Sales Soar for Gee-Whiz Gizmos

Oct 3, 2007 12:43 AM CDT

Chip Sales Soar for Gee-Whiz Gizmos

Electronics makers stock up now for a busy holiday season

(Newser) - Electronics makers expect to sell lots of PCs, iPods and mobile phones this holiday season, judging by how many semiconductor chips they scooped up in August, PC World reports. Sales of global chips rose to $21.6 billion in August, a 4.5% increase over last year. August is the...

Grand Jury Indicts 2 for Espionage

Sep 27, 2007 3:17 PM CDT

Grand Jury Indicts 2 for Espionage

Techies accused of attempted sale of microchips to China

(Newser) - Lan Lee and Yuefei Ge, both of California, were indicted Wednesday by a grand jury on two counts each of economic espionage, conspiracy and theft of trade secrets. The former employees of chip maker Netlogics Microsystems allegedly downloaded chip tech plans onto their home computers, intending to start their own...

Nvidia Goes After Intel With New Chip

Sep 24, 2007 2:32 PM CDT

Nvidia Goes After Intel With New Chip

Both companies want to cash in on booming graphics market

(Newser) - Chip maker Nvidia is going after industry giant Intel in the market for cheap, high-quality PC graphics. Nvidia will roll out special graphics chips for Intel-based computers costing about $500, the Wall Street Journal reports, a segment Intel currently dominates. Both companies want to cash in on consumer lust...

Chinese Issue Big Brother
ID Cards

Aug 13, 2007 2:48 AM CDT

Chinese Issue Big Brother ID Cards

Reproductive history, religion, landlord phone numbers will be listed

(Newser) - The Chinese government is beefing up already stringent surveillance measures, installing 20,000 police security cameras in one city and issuing computer chip identity cards to millions listing work and reproductive history, religion, police records and even landlord phone numbers. The cards will help track citizens for any number of...