Paul, re Rise Technology (not Rise Computer, my mistake), I don't know much more about them than what's available on their web site. What I do know is that they have managed to lure away three top notch computer development/architect guys, and a couple of other excellent engineering people as well.
Another Exponential, or another, well, who knows?
An article they put on their web site:
rise.com
From the June 1998 Issue of PC World
Another Start-Up Targets
Intel's x86
Rise Technology plans low-cost chip for the
sub-$1000 PC market.
by Andy Santoni, InfoWorld Electric
June 29, 1998 11:45 a.m. PT
Yet another semiconductor company is planning to take on
Intel with a low-cost x86 clone, readying a low-power chip
aimed initially at $1000 notebooks.
Rise Technology, based a stone's throw from Intel's
headquarters in Santa Clara, California, this October will
describe its chip in detail for the first time at the
Microprocessor Forum in nearby San Jose.
"The mP6 is an x86-compatible processor targeted at the
sub-$1000 PC market," said Keith Diefendorff, editor in
chief of Microprocessor Report. With its low-cost focus,
the new CPU will more likely compete with other Intel
competitors than with Intel itself, Diefendorff noted.
"It will compete head-to-head with IDT's WinChip and
Cyrix's highly integrated processors," Diefendorff said.
"The mP6 is bucking the integration trend pursued by Cyrix
and IDT. Rise says it may develop integrated parts later,
and it is planning to license its technology to selected
partners that could produce such products."
Rise's mP6 processor will target low-power, low-cost
Windows systems, especially notebooks, according to the
company. Notebooks must deliver desktop PC-equivalent
performance and low power consumption, along with low
cost, in order to attract price-sensitive buyers.
"This segment is quite small, as only 20 percent of all PCs
are notebooks, and most of those go to corporate customers,
who strongly prefer Intel processors," Diefendorff said.
Rise will also package the mP6 to fit Socket 7 desktop
systems, the company said.
The CPU is based on the Rise x86 core, a proprietary
design that achieves Pentium II-class performance while
keeping power consumption low, the company said. A
contract foundry partner will manufacture the chip, and Rise
will market and distribute it.
"Rise believes its processor does not infringe any Intel
patents, but it is using an Intel-licensed [fabrication facility]
to be safe," Diefendorff said. "The start-up did not disclose
its foundry partner, but possible candidates include IBM,
Texas Instruments, and SGS-Thomson [now ST
Microelectronics]."
These companies, as well as National Semiconductor,
Cyrix's parent, have broad cross-licensing agreements with
Intel that allow them to manufacture x86 processors for
themselves and companies such as Rise that do not have
their own fabrication facilities. Core logic vendors Acer,
Utron, and VIA have announced that they are working with
Rise to ensure compatibility with their Socket 7 chip sets,
Diefendorff said.
The other Socket 7 CPU suppliers, along with Intel, will
also make presentations at the Microprocessor Forum. Intel,
for example, will discuss advancing the IA-32 architecture
in parallel with developing the IA-64 Merced.
Advanced Micro Devices will offer further details on its
AMD-K7 CPU. The chip will be housed in a package like
that of Intel's Pentium II so that OEMs can use the same
mounting hardware, but it will use the Alpha interface bus to
sidestep Intel's P6 bus patents.
Cyrix will describe its seventh-generation CPU core,
code-named Jalapeno, which is the next step after the
company's Cayenne core, due later this year.
Integrated Device Technology's Centaur subsidiary will
provide further details on its WinChip 3, which promises
twice the speed of the current WinChip 2 and larger cache
memories with a minimal cost increase, said Glenn Henry,
president of Centaur.
Rise Technology
www.rise.com |
