foundries

Intel's CEO seemed to throw cold water on a chip deal with Apple in Tuesday's earnings conference call -- though it really depends on how you read his comments.

When asked about making processors based on the ARM design -- such as Apple's A series chips -- Paul Otellini was quick to dismiss the idea.

"No," was the short answer from Otellini. The longer answer stipulated "ground rules" where Intel "would not enable a chip competitor."

But Otellini did seem to leave an opening for his successor, depending how you choose … Read more

Has Intel Korea jumped the gun? A report in the Korea Times claims Intel and Cisco have struck a manufacturing partnership, though neither company has made an official announcement.

"Intel has recently signed an agreement to manufacture Cisco's networking chips on a contractual basis, said Lee Hee-sung, country manager at Intel Korea," reads The Korea Times report.

It continues: "The deal with Cisco looks significant. If Intel successfully produces chips with designs offered by Cisco, then it will get additional momentum to effectively grow its foundry business," the newspaper said, quoting a source at Samsung … Read more

Don't hold your breath for Intel chips inside Apple iPads or iPhones.

Piper Jaffray analyst Gus Richard doesn't see it happening until 2015.

"We believe Apple could add roughly $5B-$6B/yr in revenue for Intel but is unlikely to be a foundry customer this year or next," said Richard, who follows Intel closely, in a research note today.

Five to six billion dollars in added revenue is nothing to sniff at in light of all the smartphone and tablet chip business now going to Intel rivals like Qualcomm, Nvidia, and Samsung.

But he added that … Read more

Some of my fondest childhood toy memories revolve around Legos. About the time my brother showed up with a Dungeons & Dragons book, we left the Legos behind. Thanks to the thriving world of role-playing miniatures, that sense of building and creation doesn't have to be consigned to the depths of childhood.

It's always been easy to get your hands on miniature monsters and knights, but creating landscapes for them to play in is another matter. The Castle! Kickstarter from Castle Foundry is looking to provide RPGers with a setting that is just as engaging as their carefully painted minis. … Read more

Samsung's multibillion dollar component supplier partnership with Apple is beginning to unravel, according to a South Korea-based report, which quotes a Samsung official.

Though Samsung makes Apple's newest A6 chip used in the iPhone 5, the relationship between the two companies has changed substantially, according to a report in Korea Times.

"Apple...has made it clear it will no longer use its rival's technology, according to a senior Samsung official," the report said.

The report continues, quoting an anonymous Samsung official speaking about the A6 chip. "Apple did all the design and we are … Read more

Apple has begun the process of lessening its dependency on Samsung for chipmaking, an analyst told CNET.

"Apple is working with TSMC at 20 nanometers," said Gus Richard, a chip analyst at Piper Jaffray, referring to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company's most advanced 20-nanometer (nm) manufacturing process.

Another chip industry source contacted by CNET confirmed this. "The Apple-Samsung relationship has deteriorated to such a poor point that they're just looking to fill contractual obligations, then make a change," said the source, who corroborated the move to TSMC at 20 nanometers.

An Asia-based news report said … Read more

PALO ALTO, Calif. -- Just a short bicycle ride from Stanford University, there's a work space befitting any hip startup.

Squat, teardrop-shaped chairs and short, lime-green swivel chairs sit atop a colorful checkered carpet, across which a small dog casually pitter-patters. Lining the sparse ceiling are rows of florescent lights, wooden beams, and large ventilation tubes, adding an industrial-chic ambiance. On one side lies a sliding divider made up of strands of cable lines strung closely next to each other, while the other side features a movable row of hanging chains, creating a flexible space that can be manipulated … Read more

Get a whiff of Olly, an odoriferous Web-connected robot that lets you sniff the sweet smells of the Internet as you receive tweets and Facebook updates.

The Internet is not inherently fragrant, but that's where Olly comes in. You can choose which smell you want Olly to release in relation to a tweet, a Facebook "Like," or a delay in your airplane schedule. To further customize the experience, you could potentially assign specific scents to messages sent by a particular person.

I'm imagining that a tweet from a friend smells like oranges, while an Ashton Kutcher tweet smells like "fail," and a plane delay smells like an upset porcupine. You can't stuff a whole porcupine into Olly's removable smell-holding tray, but you can add a bit of perfume, some essential oil, a piece of fruit, or some other pungent item.… Read more

Globalfoundries has named former Cypress Semiconductor executive Jim Kupec to its top marketing position, as the newly established company begins to assemble its executive team.

Globalfoundries is the chip manufacturing company recently formed by a joint venture between Advanced Micro Devices and Advanced Technology Investment Company (ATIC).

Kupec spent 15 years with Cypress Semiconductor, rising through a variety of engineering, operations, and management positions to the role of senior vice president, according to a statement from Globalfoundries.

After leaving Cypress, Kupec became president of United Microelectronics Co. (UMC) USA. Taiwan-based UMC is one of the largest contract chip manufacturers in … Read more