chips

Shipments of notebook processor gives Intel better-than-expected quarter

Paul Mah — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 04:58:57 -0400

A better-than-expected quarter for chip maker Intel propelled the company's market share to 81.2 percent, compared with just 76.2 percent from the same period in 2007. According to an October 23 report from Mercury Research, Intel's performance can be attributed to its shipments of mobile processors for laptops; mobile processors outstripped that of desktops in terms of total processors moved. In contrast, competitor AMD's market share slipped to 17.7 percent from 23 percent. 2007 was a rough year for AMD, and the company's performance most likely contributed to the layoffs earlier this year.

For more:
- check out this article from eWeek

Cheaper femtocells coming

Tue, 04 Sep 2007 06:59:57 -0400

You've been hearing about femtocells for a while and you should have paid attention: They're getting closer to technology that will work in your enterprise with the introduction of new chips that allow for cheaper 3G base stations. The idea of femtocells is that the repeaters will allow 3G coverage everywhere a wireless application is needed--even in buildings that might have poor reception. Cambridge Consultants, the firm designing the new femtocell base station, says that the new technology should bring the cost down to the point where carriers might include them with the purchase of handsets.

For more on low-cost femtocells:
- read the complete article at NetworkWorld

For more about WiFi femtocell alternatives:
- read up on solutions from T-Mobile and Sprint

Nokia asks to bar Qualcomm

Mon, 20 Aug 2007 06:59:56 -0400

It's been an interesting year for Qualcomm. First, there was the Broadcom lawsuit that resulted in a ban on some Qualcomm chips in the U.S. Next came the Nokia dispute, with each company accusing the other of patent infringement and license violation. Now, Nokia has taken a page from the Broadcom playbook and has asked the U.S. International Trade Commission to ban certain Qualcomm chipsets from the U.S. Don't think you should be worried? Qualcomm chips are in many of the most popular smartphones and 3G cell phones sold in the U.S.--maybe in the ones that your users have in their pockets. Oh, and Qualcomm's suit against Nokia? A judge has put it on indefinite hold.

For more on the Nokia/Qualcomm dispute:
- read the analysis at eWeek

A ban on Qualcomm?

Sun, 25 Mar 2007 20:01:38 -0400

Broadcom has made a formal request to the US ITC to ban all imports of phones with Qualcomm chips. The request, based on patent infringement claims, is directed at phones using WCDMA and EV-DO standards. Broadcom has not requested a broad banning of all phones using WCDMA or EV-DO technologies, but has said that to allow further imports of the Qualcomm units would reward patent infringement. Law enforcement and other government agencies have asked the ITC to refuse the request, saying that a ban on the Qualcomm instruments would have a significant disruptive effect on critical first-responder and public safety functions. No date has been set for a ruling, though appeals and further court actions are expected regardless of the decision.

For more on the Broadcomm litigation:
- Read the complete article at TechWorld

How small can you go?

Sun, 18 Mar 2007 20:01:37 -0400

When it comes to RFID tags, smaller may not always be better but it is generally more adaptable when it comes to implementation options. Hitachi may have hit the ultimate in RFID packaging flexibility when they displayed a chip measuring 0.05mm x 0.05mm (think of a dust speck). The new chips, if in production, would allow for RFID tags to be embedded in items as thin as a piece of paper. There's a downside, in the 4mm antenna that's currently required, but Hitachi engineers say they're working on that, too.

For more on the teeny-tiny RFID chip:
- read the article at Mobile Tech Today

Editor's Corner

Sun, 13 Nov 2005 19:01:40 -0500

No matter which publication--tech or consumer-focused--there is wireless news happening everywhere. What I find most interesting are the technology trends. Gaining insight on how the technology is advancing outside of the US is typically a good barometer for keeping the hype factor in check.

That's why an article on how wireless is advancing in South Korea caught my eye today. In fact, South Korea is way ahead of us (the US) when it comes to wireless deployments, user base and new telco services. For example, while US devices can receive and display digital images, Korean phones can create that type of content. Their phones are already being used to help residents avoid traffic jams--an application that is just being piloted around the US. The country's telecommunication vendors are building faster and more robust mobile device chips that will boost even better data capabilities--functionality that US enterprises likely won't see for a while.

The big hurdle on our side is that our vendor and service communities are a bit behind the curve. According to experts, once our companies get past that hurdle, we'll be experiencing all the same great wireless innovation that South Koreans are now enjoying. - Judy