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Intel Offers to Help Fund Toshiba's Production of Rambus DRAMs
Tokyo, Feb. 2 (Bloomberg) -- Intel Corp., the world's largest computer-chip maker, offered funding to Toshiba Corp. to help develop advanced memory chips that the U.S. company needs to speed performance of personal computers, the Japanese company said.
The funds would be used to expand production of so-called direct Rambus dynamic random-access memory chips, Toshiba said. Intel made a similar arrangement last month with Samsung Electronics Co., the world's largest maker of memory chips, agreeing to invest $100 million in the South Korean company's development of similar semiconductors.
Toshiba spokesman Shintaro Nogi said Japan's second-largest chipmaker, which will begin producing the new chips this year, hasn't yet decided whether to accept the offer. He declined to disclose the amount of money Intel offered.
Direct Rambus DRAM chips can transmit data twice as fast as conventional DRAM chips. Nogi said Intel is willing to help pay for the intensive capital investment needed for Toshiba to produce a steady supply of the new semiconductors, which it plans to introduce in personal computers this year.
Intel made a similar investment when it put $500 million into Micron Technology Inc., the No. 2 maker of memory chips.
23:20:13 02/01/1999
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