Why Intel 14nm is NOT a Game Changer!

Why Intel 14nm is NOT a Game Changer!
by Daniel Nenni on 02-02-2014 at 10:00 am

On one hand the Motley Fool is saying, “Intel 14nm could change the game” and on the other hand the Wall Street Cheat Sheet is saying, “Intel should shut down mobile”. SemiWiki says Intel missed mobile and should look to the future and focus on wearables and in this blog I will argue why.

Let’s look back to 2009 when Intel and TSMC signed… Read More


The Changing Semiconductor Foundry Landscape!

The Changing Semiconductor Foundry Landscape!
by Daniel Nenni on 01-29-2014 at 8:00 am

The foundry landscape is changing again and it is definitely something that should be discussed. There are some people, mostly influenced by Intel, that feel the foundry business has hit the wall at 20nm which couldn’t be further from the truth. After spending 30 years working in Silicon Valley, I have experienced a lot of change… Read More


Is Altera Leaving Intel for TSMC?

Is Altera Leaving Intel for TSMC?
by Daniel Nenni on 01-24-2014 at 9:00 am

There is a rumor making the rounds that Altera will leave Intel and return to TSMC. Rumors are just rumors but this one certainly has legs and I will tell you why and what I would have done if I were Altera CEO John Daane. Altera is a great company, one that I have enjoyed working with over the years, but I really think they made a serious mistake… Read More


Just Released! Fabless: The Transformation of the Semiconductor Industry

Just Released! Fabless: The Transformation of the Semiconductor Industry
by Daniel Nenni on 01-22-2014 at 12:00 pm

The book “Fabless: The Transformation of the Semiconductor Industry” is now available in the Kindle (mobi) and iBooks (ePub) formats. We are really looking forward to your feedback before we go to print in March. This was truly a Tom Sawyer experience for me. As the story goes Tom made whitewashing a fence seem like fun so his friends… Read More


TSMC Responds to Intel’s 14nm Density Claim!

TSMC Responds to Intel’s 14nm Density Claim!
by Daniel Nenni on 01-21-2014 at 9:30 pm

TSMC responded to Intel’s 14nm density advantage claim in the most recent conference call. It is something I have been following closely and have written about extensively both publicly and privately. Please remember that the fabless semiconductor ecosystem is all about crowd sourcing and it is very hard to fool a crowd of semiconductor… Read More


Digital @ Nano-Scale while Analog Hovers @ 65nm and Above

Digital @ Nano-Scale while Analog Hovers @ 65nm and Above
by Daniel Nenni on 01-20-2014 at 9:00 pm

Who’s going to DesignCon next week? I am, absolutely. Dr. Hermann Eul, Vice President & General Manager, Mobile & Communications Group, Intel Corporation will be keynoting on Tuesday. This one I want to hear! Intel missed mobile at 32nm, 22nm, and 14nm. Lets see what they have planned for 10nm. Something good I hope!… Read More


Intel is NOT Transparent Again!

Intel is NOT Transparent Again!
by Daniel Nenni on 01-19-2014 at 9:00 am

Recent headlines suggest that Intel was not transparent about some of the products they showed at the CES keynote. Intel confirmed on Friday that they used ARM-based chips for some of the products but would not say which ones. When your company’s tag line is “Intel Inside” and you hold up a product during your keynote wouldn’t… Read More


Positive Semiconductor Job Outlook in 2014!

Positive Semiconductor Job Outlook in 2014!
by Daniel Nenni on 01-15-2014 at 5:00 pm

Based on local traffic patterns and my experience in Silicon Valley over the last 30 years we are looking at a much higher employment rate inside the fabless semiconductor ecosystem, absolutely. Jobs are being filled more so than I have seen in the past ten years. The challenge of course is finding the right people for the right job… Read More


Is Intel the Concorde of Semiconductor Companies?

Is Intel the Concorde of Semiconductor Companies?
by Daniel Nenni on 01-15-2014 at 8:00 am

An Intel executive recently told me that my Intel articles on SemiWiki are used to motivate employees to work hard and prove me wrong. The converse is also true. The senseless Intel fabless ecosystem bashing motivates me to continue to write so it is a win-win scenario, absolutely. In fact, I should credit Intel’s Mark BohrRead More


Migrating SOCs from 8051 to 32-bits

Migrating SOCs from 8051 to 32-bits
by Daniel Nenni on 01-12-2014 at 10:00 pm

The 8051 processor has been widely used in many embedded applications over the past 30 years. While the 8051 core is small and simple-to-use, the newest generation of consumer electronics being developed today often require more than the 8051 MCU can reasonably deliver. New SOC applications such as flash drives, power managementRead More