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| Converge declares "memory industry recovery" |
9/18/2009 |
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The memory market continues to rebound, with all indicators pointing to a recovery in more than one commodity. In addition to a DRAM recovery, the NOR and NAND flash memory market has been extremely active. The volume of requests for Spansion and Numonyx flash memory has tripled over the last two months.
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| Memory module PCB in short supply |
9/18/2009 |
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Niching indicated the gap between its supply from Simmtech and orders from downstream companies has reached over 10%, and Simmtech is urgently expanding equipment to solve this situation.
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| Semi equipment Book-to-Bill stays positive |
9/18/2009 |
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In fact, the fab tool book-to-bill ratio remains above parity for the second straight month. North American-based manufacturers of semiconductor equipment posted a book-to-bill ratio of 1.03 in August, compared to 1.06 in July, according to SEMI. This follows a trend of book-to-bill ratios below parity.
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| TSMC to buy into new semi-conductor areas |
9/18/2009 |
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TSMC (Hsinchu, Taiwan) is mulling over a plan to acquire Philips Lumiled Lighting Co., a supplier of LEDs, according to media reports in Taiwan. TSMC is also seeking an investment in the solar field.
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| Winbond denies rumor on merger talk |
9/17/2009 |
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Winbond Electronics has clarified that it has not yet been approached about participating in either Taiwan Memory Company (TMC) or the Micron-Nanya camp.
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| "Green" is the buzz word for new handset |
9/17/2009 |
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They suggest network operators and handset vendors should increase their promotion of handset take-back initiatives, and increase take-back targets. And they add that "eco-applications offer potential for the mobile industry to reduce CO2 emissions above and beyond its own direct and indirect emissions by exerting a positive influence on consumer behavior."
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| Google emphasis on bandwidth with low power |
9/17/2009 |
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New networking systems should target delivering ten times more bandwidth with no more than four times more power consumption. In addition, vendors need to understand separate optimizations needed for networking within and between large data centers.
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| ARM 9 in hot competition with Atom |
9/17/2009 |
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The launch of a dual-core Cortex A9 processor hard-macro called Osprey, ready for manufacture by TSMC in a 40-nm general-purpose process, with plenty of comparisons to the current generation of Intel Atom processor, signposts ARM's aspirations — to take Intel on in its traditional performance domain.
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| Taiwan Memory Company's future in doubt |
9/16/2009 |
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Apart from Yiin's departure, TMC has failed in its attempt to seek investment from MediaTek and China Development Financial Holdings (CDFH), a Taiwan-based company engaged in provision of financial and investment services, the DRAM makers claimed.
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| DDR2 face shortage: prices up |
9/16/2009 |
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Spot prices for 1Gb DDR2 are expected to hit US$1.8 soon, and climb further to approach US$2 at the end of 2009, according to DRAM module houses. The growth momentum reflects increased demand from PC OEMs for the fourth quarter, as well as an increase in end-market seasonal demand.
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| Intel market share up |
9/16/2009 |
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Intel in the June quarter accounted for 80.6% of global MPU revenue, up 1.4 points from 79.1% during the same period in 2008, and a 1.5% increase from Q1 (see chart below). Market researchers at iSuppli said in a recent report that the gain gave Intel the largest share of global MPU revenue since it claimed 82.4% of revenue in Q3 2005.
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| Rambus up guidiance reflecting state of industry |
9/16/2009 |
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The company also updated its forecast for operating expenses for the quarter and now anticipates these — excluding stock-based compensation expenses and any stock-based compensation restatement expenses or benefits — to come in at between $41 million and $44 million. Rambus' previous guidance for adjusted operating expenses was $44 million to $49 million.
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| Low power WiFi found investment from Uncle Sam |
9/15/2009 |
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According to GainSpan, its technology provides the lowest power consuming Wi-Fi single chip solution for wireless sensor networks and other embedded applications, allowing devices to run for up to 10 years on a single AA battery.
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| 3G tranceiver chip eliminates bulky filter |
9/15/2009 |
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It needs no interstage transmit or receiver SAW filters nor separate low noise amplifiers (LNA) to achieve multiband operation. The result is a significant saving in BOM and PCB footprint, as well as layout constraints, as the transceiver's six outputs can drive the power amplifier directly.
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| Hard drive facing density road block |
9/15/2009 |
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The industry's leading 'magneticians' believe PMR can be extended to close to 1,000 Gb/in2 or 1 terabit per square inch (1 Tb/in2). This will be an impressive feat, but by the end of 2011 the industry's areal density roadmap will require 1.2 Tb/in2.
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| Intel to ship 32nm by year end |
9/15/2009 |
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The latest Intel briefing provided some news in advance of the 2009 Intel Developer Forum (IDF) beginning Sept. 22 in San Francisco. I expect Intel will announce the launch or at least the launch date for the first chips from the Westmere 32-nm family of processors during IDF.
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| Rumors fly for Micron to buy Numonyx |
9/14/2009 |
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Word on the street is that Micron is seeking to enter the NOR flash market. Some also speculated that Intel Corp. wants to unload its interest in Numonyx. Could that mean a Micron-Numonyx merger? It's pure speculation for now.
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| DRAM manufacturers return to profit |
9/14/2009 |
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Hynix Semiconductor will be the second among DRAM makers to swing back to profitability in the third quarter of 2009, followed by Micron Technology and Elpida Memory in 2010. Samsung Electronics' memory unit, which posted a profit in the second quarter, may remain profitable throughout the end of 2009.
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| Analog IC sales recovered |
9/14/2009 |
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"While an upward revision has been widely expected given recent trends across analog and the gross margin guide is largely unchanged despite the higher sales, the update is likely viewed as solid with inventory levels to be flat to lower vs flat,"
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| ISupply see PC sales blooming |
9/14/2009 |
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PC unit shipments grew sequentially during the second quarter for the first time in six months, but it won't be enough to escape unit contraction for the year, according to market research firm iSuppli Corp.
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| Nvidia unveils 3-D Vision Glasses |
9/11/2009 |
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Nvidia has begun to market its GeForce 3D Vision glasses , which will allow Acer to launch high-profile 3D notebooks in the fourth quarter of 2009
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