IBM: Rumor, Bad Reporting, or Ignorance?
Twice in the last several days, my local rag, the Burlington Free Press, has talked about IBM's business strategy for their big (but aging) fab in Essex Junction, Vt.
The plan is to start offering foundry services, as in this quote from today's paper: "The new focus is on making high-end chips designed by other companies, logic chips designed for specific functions, and a targeted lineup of standard products such as microprocessors used in Apple computers."
Sunday's paper said this, in the context of discussing the plant's future viability:
"That focus is on manufacturing, making semiconductor chips for a variety of customers, from IBM to other tech companies; making chips designed for specific tasks using the latest technology; and a more targeted line-up of standard products, such as microprocessors.
"Examples of the last, which are made at Essex Junction, include the PowerPC microprocessors, the brains behind Apple's iMac and other successful personal computers; and the chip that powers Nintendo's new GameCube console."
Whoa, the iMac??
This is probably nothing--there's still a G3 iMac, as well as the iBook--but I was intrigued enough to think others here might be interested as well. Probably the reporter is way BEHIND the curve -- but what if, just what if, he is AHEAD of what's going on...
I should point out that it's clear in context that the Apple connection in the plant's future plans is coming from the plant's spokesman, not the reporter. So there might be some there there since the G3 is largely in Apple's past and the PR guy was talking about the future...
fo
<a href="http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/bfpnews/business/sunday/1000h.htm"; target="_blank">Sunday story link</a>
The plan is to start offering foundry services, as in this quote from today's paper: "The new focus is on making high-end chips designed by other companies, logic chips designed for specific functions, and a targeted lineup of standard products such as microprocessors used in Apple computers."
Sunday's paper said this, in the context of discussing the plant's future viability:
"That focus is on manufacturing, making semiconductor chips for a variety of customers, from IBM to other tech companies; making chips designed for specific tasks using the latest technology; and a more targeted line-up of standard products, such as microprocessors.
"Examples of the last, which are made at Essex Junction, include the PowerPC microprocessors, the brains behind Apple's iMac and other successful personal computers; and the chip that powers Nintendo's new GameCube console."
Whoa, the iMac??
This is probably nothing--there's still a G3 iMac, as well as the iBook--but I was intrigued enough to think others here might be interested as well. Probably the reporter is way BEHIND the curve -- but what if, just what if, he is AHEAD of what's going on...
I should point out that it's clear in context that the Apple connection in the plant's future plans is coming from the plant's spokesman, not the reporter. So there might be some there there since the G3 is largely in Apple's past and the PR guy was talking about the future...
fo
<a href="http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/bfpnews/business/sunday/1000h.htm"; target="_blank">Sunday story link</a>
Comments
Hmmmm, way behind or way ahead....I hope it's way ahead as that might portend some definitive speed jump somewhere along the line.
But I ain't holdin' my breath.
I tried that one time before and after I woke up (from passing out) Steve had just released the Flower Power iMac.
Nope, ain't holdin' my breath again.
We must be ever vigilant against them hippie-leanings of old Stevie boy.....
D
The main problem of Mot is that they seem more interested in the embedded market than the desktop one : the G4 was awarded best embedded chip of the year 2001.
The next generation of sahara is supposed (From IBM himself) to have a SIMD unit.
considering these three points : i come to these conclusions :
- if IBM is really interested in high end desktop chip, Apple can be a good client with his powermac line and Xserve line
- IBM is already on the market of the very low consomption PPc chip with the sahara,and perhaps the sahara 2 can have altivec : maybe we can see sahara 2 next year in a new i book.
- IBM can use a lot of technology of the power ' to make the next generation of high end chip for Apple (and this chip won't be callet G5, because the G4 is a mot appelation), this chip will be huge and perhaps will be a more watt eater than the G4, but he will be also more powerfull with a lot more of transistors. The consomption of these chip will be not an issue, is only issue will be the power : the maximum possible for a desktop.
But before this, the G4 did not reach his limit, he can be enhanced throught more L2 cache DDR memory support and more speed.
The powerdesktop line of IBM won't appear before next year