Del Cecchi
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 Posted:
Mon Nov 29, 2004 7:49 pm Post subject:
CELL--Details coming at ISSCC |
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Here is the (edited) press release.
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ARMONK, N.Y. & TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 29, 2004--IBM, Sony
Corporation, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (Sony Corporation and Sony
Computer Entertainment Inc. subsequently referred to as Sony Group) and
Toshiba Corporation today unveiled, for the first time, some of the key
concepts of the highly-anticipated advanced microprocessor, code-named Cell,
they are jointly developing for next-generation computing applications and
digital consumer electronics.
The four companies also announced that they would reveal technical details
of Cell at the International Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC) to be
held from February 6-10, 2005 in San Francisco.
Specifically, the companies confirmed that Cell is a multicore chip
comprising a 64-bit Power processor core and multiple synergistic processor
cores capable of massive floating point processing. Cell is optimized for
compute-intensive workloads and broadband rich media applications, including
computer entertainment, movies and other forms of digital content.
Other highlights of the Cell processor design include:
a.. Multi-thread, multicore architecture.
b.. Supports multiple operating systems.
c.. Substantial bus bandwidth to/from main memory, as well as companion
chips.
d.. Flexible on-chip I/O (input/output) interface.
e.. Real-time resource management system for real-time applications.
f.. On-chip hardware in support of security system for intellectual
property protection.
g.. Implemented in 90 nanometer (nm) silicon-on-insulator (SOI)
technology.
Additionally, Cell uses custom circuit design to increase overall
performance, while supporting precise processor clock control to enable
power savings.
IBM, Sony Group and Toshiba will disclose more details about Cell in four
technical papers scheduled for presentation at the International Solid State
Circuits Conference.
(snip comments by high ranking officials from each company)
Cell provides a breakthrough solution by adopting a flexible parallel and
distributed computing architecture consisting of independent floating point
processors for rich media processing. Cell supports multiple operating
systems, including PC/WS operating systems, as well as real-time CE/Game
operating systems. In addition, the Cell processor is scalable and can be
utilized in a variety of applications -- from small digital CE systems
within the home to entertainment applications for rendering movies, to
scientific applications, such as supercomputers.
A team of engineers from IBM, Sony Group and Toshiba are collaborating on
the design and implementation of Cell which is expected to deliver vast
floating point capabilities, massive data bandwidth and scalable,
supercomputer-like performance. The design work is taking place at a joint
development lab the three companies established in Austin, Texas, after the
project was announced in 2001.
IBM plans to begin pilot production of Cell microprocessors at its 300mm
wafer fabrication facility in East Fishkill, NY during the first half of
2005. The first computing application IBM plans for Cell is the Cell
processor-based workstation it is developing with SCEI. |
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