freescale

Memory chip venture says technology beats flash

Is MRAM better than flash memory? That's a question a new venture business will try to answer.

Former Motorola chip unit Freescale Semiconductor announced Monday that it has joined with several venture capital firms to form an independent company focused on MRAM (Magnetoresistive Random Access Memory).

The new company, EverSpin Technologies, will "expand its current portfolio of standalone MRAM and related magnetic-based products," the companies said in a statement.

MRAM uses magnetic materials combined with conventional silicon circuitry to deliver a high-performance permanent storage device.

But MRAM must compete with quickly evolving technologies like flash memory-based solid … Read more

IBM: Faster, not hotter, 32-nanometer chips coming

Chips in 2009 will run faster but not necessarily hotter. That's the gist of what IBM, along with its joint development partners such as Samsung Electronics and Toshiba, announced Monday.

The IBM alliance is using "high-k/metal gate" technology to achieve this, the same category of process technology that Intel currently uses in its 45-nanometer processors. The alliance says it is seeing performance improvements of up to 35 percent over 45nm technology at the same "operating voltage" or power levels.

This allows alliance chipmakers such as Samsung, Toshiba, and Freescale Semiconductor (formerly an arm of … Read more

Who profits from semiconductor spin-offs?

We've seen a horde of semiconductor spin-offs these past 10 years. Why all of a sudden? Companies are refocusing on core competencies and unloading unprofitable, sometimes debt-ridden businesses. There's also an ongoing and apparently interminable disaggregation of the electronics industry.

The latest trend is for semiconductor companies to spin off product or application-focused companies. I'm not sure that's always the right move, but you'll see a lot more of that in the coming years.

Here are 10 notable chip divestitures. A bunch of them went public during the tech bubble--exciting for them, not so much for long-term investors who, for the most part, took it in the shorts.… Read more

Ex-AMD sales chief lands at Freescale

Henri Richard, who last month left his job leading Advanced Micro Devices' sales and marketing, has taken a similar position at another chip company, Freescale Semiconductor.

Austin, Texas-based Freescale announced Richard's appointment to senior vice president and chief sales and marketing officer on Wednesday. "His expertise in developing customer solutions will accelerate our growth initiatives and build on Freescale's strong market position," Freescale Chairman and Chief Executive Michel Mayer said in a statement.

Since Richard's departure, more changes have taken place at AMD. Rick Hegberg, senior vice president of worldwide sales and an executive who … Read more