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Technology Stocks : Rambus (RMBS) - Eagle or Penguin -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Dan3 who wrote (29561)	9/15/1999 9:01:00 AM
From: richard surckla	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 93625

Schlumberger to Provide Complete RDRAM Test Solution to Samsung; Acquisition of RDX2200 Series and SABER Services Sets Standard for RDRAM Device Test SAN JOSE, Calif., Sep 15, 1999 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Schlumberger today announced that it has been selected to provide Samsung with a complete test solution for design through high volume production of RDRAM(R) devices. The world's largest manufacturer of memory devices, Samsung has ordered multiple RDX2200(TM) series systems and contracted Schlumberger Advanced Business Engineering Resources (SABER) to provide highly skilled engineering resources to ensure the fastest ramp possible as the company transitions to high volume RDRAM device manufacturing. With the recent introduction of the RDX2200 series, Schlumberger is the only company currently capable of producing, shipping and supporting a fully compatible series of RDRAM test systems for design validation through volume production. Providing the industry's highest performance, the RDX22000 series can dramatically shrink memory manufacturers' time-to-volume, slash months off development cycles and significantly increase yields, thereby maximizing throughput and productivity throughout the entire RDRAM device ramp process. The highly flexible system is completely identical in tester operation, from design validation through production testing, greatly simplifying and shortening the RDRAM development cycle. To help memory manufacturers successfully move to the new RDRAM technology, SABER(sm) provides comprehensive RDRAM support, including a full range of integration and support services at the regional level to ensure that customers quickly achieve the fastest possible time-to-volume while increasing profitability. SABER services for RDRAM technology include design validation, device characterization and production. Noting that Schlumberger worked closely with Samsung for several years in the initial development of its RDRAM test technology, Jackie Tubis, president of Schlumberger Automated Test Equipment, stated, "Across the board, customer evaluations of the RDX2200 series have already met with outstanding success. Utilizing the industry's most demanding RDRAM test equipment evaluation process, we have confirmed our capability to deliver the speed, accuracy and repeatability across multiple sites that will enable our customers to achieve the quickest time-to-volume possible with maximum yield and productivity." Local technical support in Asia is available via the recently opened Schlumberger Korea Technology Center in Kiheung, Korea. The state-of-art facility also serves as a research and development center, hastening the development of next generation test techniques to meet the enormous demand for RDRAM devices from the computer and electronics industry. "Bringing RDRAM devices into high volume production demands a new test methodology, completely new test hardware and highly skilled resources," noted Greg Van Ess, Schlumberger vice president and general manager for semiconductor equipment in Asia. "By working in parallel with Samsung's own RDRAM design and development engineers, we can use our expert knowledge in high performance logic and memory test to help shrink the company's time-to-volume." Earlier this year, Schlumberger introduced its technology-leading RDX2200 series, which includes five systems designed to meet the specific challenges presented by this dramatically new technology. -- The RDX2200dv system is a turnkey RDRAM device debug and verification system that is the only fully integrated e-beam and tester solution available, enabling direct probe of internal RDRAM nodes at speed -- For high performance characterization, the RDX2200cs system allows RDRAM devices to be tested at the absolute widest operating range available -- The RDX2200tc is an advanced test and thermal characterization cell designed for RDRAM device product development offering the industry's fastest temperature change -- For RDRAM device production test, the RDX2200 system features +/-50 pico second edge placement accuracy, 1Gb/s data rates, and x8 parallel test to ensure the highest performance possible -- The RDX2200rs system provides full-featured, at-speed test capabilities to deliver highest throughput for RIMM(TM) production test *T About Schlumberger Schlumberger provides the world's most comprehensive systems and services for testing semiconductor devices. It also offers measurement systems for front-end applications, as well as equipment to test complete electronic assemblies and systems for the telecommunications industry. Additional information is available at slb.com. Schlumberger Test & Transactions provides smart card-based solutions; semiconductor test, metrology and handling systems and services; and corporate IP and network solutions to customers throughout the world. It is a business unit of Schlumberger Limited, an US$11.8 billion global technology services company. RDX2200 and SABER are marks of Schlumberger. RDRAM and RIMM are marks of Rambus, Inc Copyright (C) 1999 Business Wire. All rights reserved. CONTACT: Schlumberger ATE Mary Jo Colton, 408/501-7017 mcolton@san-jose.tt.slb.com WEB PAGE: businesswire.com GEOGRAPHY: CALIFORNIA INDUSTRY CODE: COMPUTERS/ELECTRONICS COMED Today's News On The Net - Business Wire's full file on the Internet with Hyperlinks to your home page.

To: Dan3 who wrote (29561)	9/15/1999 9:05:00 AM
From: Dave B	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 93625

Dan, <A year and a half ago, Intel and Rambus said we were going to be switched over to rambus by now.> A year and a half ago, Intel and Rambus said that RDRAM-based systems would be shipping in June 1999. They also said that it would appear first in high-end systems, then it would be the standard for mid-range systems by mid- to late-2000 (and would appear in laptops in that timeframe), and then would migrate to the low-end systems in late 2001. The only thing that has changed is that RDRAM will be introduced in September instead of June (and that slip was announced this past February). Other than that, it's always been a two to three year transition story. So the only predicition that was wrong was the initial ship date (and in the high tech business, that's not unusual at all). Please do not try to rewrite history. Dave

To: Dan3 who wrote (29561)	9/15/1999 9:19:00 AM
From: James Fulop	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 93625

From a credible Yahoo thread poster... >>To Dan3 at SI by: oldtimerinvestor 22154 of 22154 your message: "To: capt rocky who wrote (29553) From: Dan3 Wednesday, Sep 15 1999 8:40AM ET Reply # of 29562 Re: switching to rambus end of next year... A year and a half ago, Intel and Rambus said we were going to be switched over to rambus by now. That predection was wrong, this one is probably is too. Dan" IS INCORRECT. I spoke to Intel investor relations about a few months ago regarding missing the June release of Camino chipset. The "expert" about Rambus in that department told me that Intel NEVER SAID June was the due date. He told me Intel had said "1999" all along and that the 'press' and various other people had somehow interpreted what Intel was saying as June. Upon announcing 'September' the press was headlining a delay that NEVER EXISTED. Because I see clearly that you are so willing to mis-state what I know to be fact you have no credibility on any of your technical commentary. Would someone please post this to SI. Thank you. << post.messages.yahoo.com

To: Dan3 who wrote (29561)	9/15/1999 10:18:00 AM
From: JH	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 93625

Thread - Samsung's view on RDRAM: (from Deutsche Bank's research report on Samsung Electronics' convertible bonds, dated 30 Aug 1999, written by their analyst Lloyd Ong) Please excuse me for any typos, since it's going to be typed manually... Samsung Electronics Corp. (SEC) seems strangly reluctant to commit capital into Rambus-production-related investments prior to it becoming better established, and their tone seems overly cautions, given their reputation for aggressive capital investments funded by plentiful capital. They also predict that both PC133 and DDR will have longevity in the marketplace. SEC is the "500 pound gorilla" in the DRAM business, and I think that their views will probably come pretty close to how the marketplace is going to adopt RMBS, so I would recommend that everyone pay close attention to what they are saying. Personally, I have a huge position in RMBS at this moment, and though I'm very optimistic for their long-term future, my trading instincts tell me that I should sell into any hype surrounding the launch of the 820 chipset, because the road ahead is still paved with lots of bumps... Excerpts: The key focus for SEC in the near term will be on the development of next generation devices such as PC-133 128Mb DRAM and 256Mb. With the newly-installed line 9 and the planned upgrade of the existing line 8 from 0.23-0.25 micron to 0.18 micron design rule by year-end, the company is expected to ramp up monthly production output of 128Mb chip from 4m to 12m by year-end. As for the mainstay 64Mb chip, SEC plans to boost monthly production capacity from 24m to 30m by the end of next year, mainly through the existing lines 6 and 7 (to be upgraded) as well as from the planned expansion of the Austin facility in Texas. Management believes that 64Mb DRAM will remain the key driver of revenue and earnings growth in the near term until the market transition to 128Mb (anticipated in the first half of 2000). On the 256Mb chip, SEC has indicated that it is still in the sample stage with existing capacity of only 1.5m chips, targeted mostly for the high-end PC segment. The recent plunge in pricing of 128Mb to a low of USD14 from USD20 a month ago we believe is a temporary anomaly from a sudden supply influx. In our view, if the low pricing of the 128Mb persists under a so-called cross bit situation, it will eventually crate a surge in 128Mb chip demand, thus intensifying a supply shortage, possibly by the fourth quarter of this year. Therefore, as prices rebound the cross bit situation will dissipate, bringing the demand and supply curve back to normal. Rambus is still in a transitional phase On Direct Rambus, SEC plans to begin mass production of the chips by the fourth quarter to meet growing demand. Monthly output for the 128Mb and 144Mb Rambus chips will rise to 1.5m in the initial stage. However, SEC believes that the high-speed chip is unlikely to supplant the latest PC-133 SDRAM as the industry standard in the near term. Even with the USD100m investment from Intel, the company is still cautious about launching full-scale production of the new chip in view of the delay associated with the chipset production as well as the high conversion cost. Apart from the conversion costs, chipmakers would also have to contend with costly investments in front-end processing tools, high-speed testers, special tooling and handling equipment and chip-scale packaging gear. We believe that it is only a matter of time becomes the mainstream standard adopted by the industry. Whether Rambus will capture the majority of the PC market depends on the price premium over its synchronized and Double Date Rate counterparts. If the price differential remains significant, then we could possibly see segmentation in the DRAM market going forward. Consequently, we could see a division of DRAM chipmakers during the transitional period - Direct Rambus players competing with Double Date Rate in the middle to high-end PC markets, other suppliers going after niche markets, and the remaining synchronized players with trailing edge DRAMs in the low-end PC segment.