tsmc

choi

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Ashley Vance, For Chip Makers, the Next Battle Is in Smartphones. New York Times (NYT), Feb. 22, 2010.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/22/technology/22chip.html?scp=1&sq=vance%20taiwan&st=cse


------------Separately
(1) Research Bulletin: TSMC Maintains Top Spot Among Foundries. IC Insights, Jan. 28, 2010.
http://www.icinsights.com/news/bulletins/bulletins2010/bulletin20100128.html

Note: Integrated device manufacturer (IDM)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integrated_device_manufacturer

My comment:
(a) The NYT report at the top states, "The company is the last mainstream chip maker to both design and build its own products." There is no controversy about it. But by definition (see Wiki), Intel is an IDM. Indeed, in the web there was a 2009 article titled "It seems that Intel Might Become Only Major IDM in World."  Why then is it not included in either IC Insights or Wiki's IDM listing. My own explanation is that Intel never doubles as a foundry for any other company, and that Wiki's listing is not exhaustive.
(b) TSMC is the suzerain of Vanguard.

(2) Mid-Range iPad to Generate Maximum Profits for Apple, iSuppli Estimates. ISuppli, Feb. 10, 2010.
http://www.isuppli.com/News/Pages/Mid-RangeiPadtoGenerateMaximumProfitsforApple,iSuppliEstimates.aspx
("The A4 processor in the iPad is expected to carry a $17 cost. iSuppli believes the processor integrates an ARM RISC architecture microprocessor and a graphics processing unit. The part likely was designed by low-power processor specialist PA Semi, a fabless semiconductor company Apple acquired in 2008. However, the device most likely will be manufactured by Samsung."

My comment: Though widely quoted, the analysis did not explain why iSuppli believed Samsung made Apple A4 chip. Judging from (1) that Samsung is a decidedly minor player in global foundry business (No. 9 in 2009), the claim is amazing if proved true.

(3) TSMC spends almost NT$4 billion during Lunar break. DigiTimes, Feb. 22, 2010.
http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20100222PM200.html
("TSMC has set a capex budget of US$4.8 billion for 2010, compared to its current record capex of US$3.3 billion spent in 2000")

(4) Mark LaPedus, SPIE: TSMC jumps on EUV bandwagon. EE Times, Feb. 22, 2010.
http://www.eetimes.com/news/latest/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=223100029

My comment:
(a) I have no idea what it talks about.
(b) Mapper Lithography BV
http://www.mapperlithography.com
(based at Delft, The Netherlands)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delft
("located in between Rotterdam and The Hague")

(5) Mark LaPedus, Nvidia blames sales shortfall on TSMC. EE Times, Feb. 17, 2010.
http://www.eetimes.com/news/latest/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=222900754
(Nvidia "continues to see a shortfall in 40-nm capacity. '40-nm is constrained around the world'")

My comment: Although this report did not identify speakers, other reports on the same day and issues clearly spelled out Nvidia CEO Jen-Hsun Huang. As a result of TSMC's continual problems with 40-nm process, Nvidia has pushed back to (this coming) May mass production of Fermi-powered GeForce 400 series (GPU).

(6) Lorraine Luk, Rise in Outsourcing Expected to Buoy Asian Chip Makers; United Microelectronics, TSMC Will Gain as Firms Seek to Save Output Costs. Wall Street Journal (WSJ), Feb. 23, 2010.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704751304575079292109567342.html?mod=WSJ_Tech_LEFTTopNews
(To pursue "fablite" model, Adam Blankenship, a spokesman at Fujitsu,  said the Japanese company agreed in August to develop advanced 28-nanometer process technology of logic chips jointly with TSMC and outsource production to its Taiwanese partner.")
  
My comment:
(a) logic chip: "A processor or controller chip. Logic always implies "processing," in which specific operations are performed or instructions are executed to perform a variety of operations. Contrast with memory chip."
http://www.yourdictionary.com/computer/logic-chip
(b) I read today's WSJ and this article is not in it. Indeed, WSJ released this online version only 1 hour ago. So I presume it is in tomorrow's newspaper.

(7) It was reported three days ago that "Globalfoundries to Make 28nm ARM Chips in 2H."

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choi

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Sorry, about

Integrated device manufacturer (IDM)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integrated_device_manufacturer
, it DOES include Intel as an IDM.


【 在 choi 的大作中提到: 】
: Ashley Vance, For Chip Makers, the Next Battle Is in Smartphones. New York Times (NYT), Feb. 22, 2010.
: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/22/technology/22chip.html?scp=1&sq=vance%20taiwan&st=cse
: ------------Separately
: (1) Research Bulletin: TSMC Maintains Top Spot Amo
: (以下引言省略...)

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