Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Formerly About Advanced Micro Devices -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Elmer who wrote (84665)	1/2/2000 6:14:00 PM
From: Bill Jackson	Respond to of 1573215

Elmer, I can see it depends on the volume that a particular radio will have. From what I can see some radios will volumes in the millions and the unit cost will be low and the design cost will be spread very thinly. So you get an ARM and a flash core and that will be more than an ASIC that is made in the millions, but less than for a run of 100,000, so the arm and others generalists like it will get some of the market. Remember they can change fast and get to market early. Asics can have flash too, but if they find a hardwired flaw.....trash. ARM and other micros are not likely to have a HW flaw so updates, fixes etc will be easier. Bill

To: Elmer who wrote (84665)	1/2/2000 9:31:00 PM
From: kash johal	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 1573215

Elmer, Re:": "Ted, Petz has made the points that a dedicated asic seems to hold the high ground in this race and that the ARM chip will not be a leader. I suspect the low power of the arm and versatility of flash with cpu will be best for some uses , but the cheapest solutions will probably be those dedicated parts for mass produced low end units." But an ASIC part has to be designed. A processor only has to be programmed. An ASIC needs a foundry which could present capacity problems. Processors are off the shelf and enjoy the economies of scale." I believe that you are essentially missing the point. ARM chips are hardly ever used as std. products. They almost always used as an embedded block within an ASIC. The ARM folks will supply you a VHDL file that customers can modify all the way to a hard physical GDSII block in a given foundrys rules. Intel has been awfull at supplying custom chips from when Carsten was trying to get into the biz and also their foray into field proframmable logic. Perhaps as Paul believes Intel will succeed in dominating the wireless chip market. I doubt wether AMD or Intel will succeed in this market, IMHO. regards, Kash