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To: KeithDust2000 who wrote (3662)	3/31/2008 12:39:25 PM
From: KeithDust2000	Respond to of 4590

some questions answered here: eweek.com

To: KeithDust2000 who wrote (3662)	3/31/2008 1:04:08 PM
From: KeithDust2000	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 4590

Intel, STMicro ready to launch Numonyx Numonyx will play in both major portions of the flash memory market. Its primary business, roughly 90 percent, consists of NOR flash memory, so named for the logic gates used to create the chip. NOR memory has traditionally been used as the primary storage in mobile phones, but that's changing as NAND memory becomes faster. NAND is used in memory cards, MP3 players like the iPod, and more and more in mobile phones--the high-growth areas. As a result, Harrison expects Numonyx's NAND business to grow much faster over the coming year, although at only 10 percent of the total, there's a lot of work to be done. The problem is that at the moment, the flash memory market is in turmoil. Prices are plummeting as flash buyers like Apple pull back their purchases in the face of a slowing economy. Intel is going to miss its earnings targets for the first quarter because the price of flash fell twice as fast as it had planned going into the quarter. It's really the NAND market, however, that's facing the severe price crunch, Harrison said. Since Numonyx's primary business involves NOR flash memory, which hasn't seen the same dramatic plunge in pricing, the company is in a better position to endure the price drops. news.com And the price crunch for NOR has been going on for how many years now?

To: KeithDust2000 who wrote (3662)	3/31/2008 2:06:00 PM
From: Rink	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 4590

Established in 2004 by Hynix Semiconductor and Netherlands-based ST Microelectronics N.V. jointly, the Wuxi-located venture is engaged in the manufacture of dynamic random access memory (DRAM) and NAND flash. : tradingmarkets.com The new fab, which will manufacture both DRAM and NAND Flash memories... At the new fab site, an 8-in. wafer line is scheduled to begin production by the end of this year, initially with a stable manufacturing process transferred from Hynix’ existing fabs in Korea. Shortly thereafter, a 12-in. wafer line will begin production in late 2006. ... st.com CSMC Taking 200 mm Equipment From Hynix Wuxi Fab [leaving only 300mm probably]: semiconductor.net ... Most of Hynix's memory chip output is currently done on 8-inch (200 mm) lines, which use smaller wafers and have lower capacity than those using more efficient 12-inch, or 300 mm, silicon wafers. Hynix currently has an 8-inch and a 12-inch line in its Chinese joint venture plant with STMicroelectronics, Europe's largest chip maker. Hynix has said it planned to boost its proportion of 12-inch lines to 90 percent by 2012, from the current 40 percent. "Selling older equipment is a prerequisite for Hynix if it wants to upgrade its lines," said Lee Min-hee, an analyst at Dongbu Securities. "By the end of next year, Hynix won't be able to use those 8-inch lines any more." Analysts also welcomed the potential relief the sale could provide to the overall memory chip industry. "We believe that the news reflects memory manufacturers preparing for the seasonally weak 1H08 (first half 2008) by selling off 8-inch capacity," said CW Chung, an analyst for Lehman Brothers, in a research note. ... reuters.com Last two articles were from aug/sept 2007. The first two from years earlier. Yesterday ST had a 16.6% stake in the JV with Hynix. To answer your question partly: It is about reasonable that this is where by far most Numonyx's NAND + DRAM is coming from. The 300mm capacity can't be that large in the JV just yet. It might actually be far more flexible for Numonyx to expand the 300mm capacity in Wuxi/Wuxy together with Hynix. Regards, Rink See also this post from earlier today for a limited bit more info on the other fabs they've got access to: Message 24453967

To: KeithDust2000 who wrote (3662)	3/31/2008 5:21:37 PM
From: KeithDust2000	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 4590

After 38 years, a new type of memory to hit market Second, the makers of flash memory have continued to improve their technology. Back in 2001, some believed that flash would hit a wall at the 65-nanometer level of chip design. Then that got moved to 45 nanometers. Today, manufacturers mass-produce flash at 65 nanometers and have samples at 45 nanometers. Numonyx has samples of traditional NOR flash at 32 nanometers. Why switch when the existing technology continues to work? ... news.com

To: KeithDust2000 who wrote (3662)	4/7/2008 9:05:16 AM
From: KeithDust2000	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 4590

more answers: Hynix holds key to Numonyx NAND flash move However, Doller emphasized that Numonyx would not be in direct competition with many NAND flash makers and with IM Flash Technologies LLC in particular, the NAND joint-venture between Intel (Santa Clara, Calif.) and Micron Technology Inc. (Boise, Idaho). "We will be in competition but Intel is focusing its NAND business into the computing world. We [Numonyx] are focusing on the wireless world," he added. eetimes.com