Semiconductor Safety

Semiconductor Safety
by Daniel Nenni on 11-06-2014 at 7:00 am

Semiconductors and automotive are now like peanut butter and jelly. Certainly you can have one without the other but why would you? I remember when a car first talked to me telling me that the door was ajar. It sounded more like, “the door is a jar” but I got the point. Now my car tells me just about everything including what is wrong with… Read More


Samsung 14nm is the one delayed!

Samsung 14nm is the one delayed!
by Daniel Nenni on 11-05-2014 at 6:00 am

As you may have read, the CEO of Ultratech made some unfortunate statements on the recent quarterly conference call in regards to FinFET Yield. As a result there has been a lot of speculation about the who, what, and why. I blogged about it because it interested me personally plus I wanted to collect more data on the subject. Some of … Read More


Let the FinFET Yield Controversy Begin!

Let the FinFET Yield Controversy Begin!
by Daniel Nenni on 11-03-2014 at 8:00 am

It never ceases to amaze me how people point fingers and create controversy to cover their mistakes. It happened at 40nm, 28nm, and again at 20nm and now it is time for the regularly scheduled yield controversy. Of course any conversation about semiconductor yield generates clicks for SemiWiki so I’m happy to play along.

It generally… Read More


Semiconductor IP Forecast 2014 – 2020

Semiconductor IP Forecast 2014 – 2020
by Daniel Nenni on 11-01-2014 at 10:00 pm

Given that the majority of my 30+ years in Silicon Valley has revolved around semiconductor IP it should be of no surprise that IP is a big part of SemiWiki and our first book “Fabless: The Transformation of the Semiconductor Industry”. That is also why one of my first round blogger draft choices was IP expert Dr. Eric Esteve. Eric has… Read More


The GF IBM Deal Explained!

The GF IBM Deal Explained!
by Daniel Nenni on 10-28-2014 at 10:00 pm

I have it on pretty good authority that IBM has in fact come to terms with GlobalFoundries on the sale of their semiconductor business, or so I blogged last month. Did I mention that my grandparents and their many siblings settled in Upstate NY in the early 1900s from Italy via Ellis Island? So yes, I do qualify as an insider:

Insider Read More


Semiconductor Startups on Kickstarter!

Semiconductor Startups on Kickstarter!
by Daniel Nenni on 10-19-2014 at 4:00 pm

One of the challenges for the fabless semiconductor ecosystem is raising funds for new ventures. Of the things I do as a consultant, working with entrepreneurs on business and funding plans is by far the most interesting. Raising money is a big challenge since venture capitalists have largely ignored our industry of late. Kickstarter… Read More


TSMC Breaks More Records in Q3 2014!

TSMC Breaks More Records in Q3 2014!
by Daniel Nenni on 10-16-2014 at 4:00 pm

As previously predicted TSMC is having another record breaking SoC quarter. TSMC is my favorite economic bellwether and from what I can see the semiconductor industry will continue to grow this year and next at a rapid rate thanks to TSMC and the fabless semiconductor ecosystem:

We have set a new record of revenue and profitabilityRead More


EDA and the Nobel Prize in Physics!

EDA and the Nobel Prize in Physics!
by Daniel Nenni on 10-15-2014 at 7:00 am

What does EDA and the Nobel Prize for Physics have in common? Our very own Dr. Walden Rhines (CEO of Mentor Graphics):

The Nobel Prize in Physics 2014 was awarded jointly to Isamu Akasaki, Hiroshi Amano and Shuji Nakamura “for the invention of efficient blue light-emitting diodes which has enabled bright and energy-savingRead More


TSMC ♥ Cadence!

TSMC ♥ Cadence!
by Daniel Nenni on 10-11-2014 at 4:30 pm

One of the questions I routinely ask amongst the fabless semiconductor ecosystem is, “How are the EDA vendors doing?” There are always complaints because, let’s face it, we all like to complain. On occasion however I do hear about a vendor who goes above and beyond the call of duty and it really brightens my day.

Of late,… Read More


iPhone or Wallet – Which one do you go back for?

iPhone or Wallet – Which one do you go back for?
by Daniel Nenni on 10-08-2014 at 7:00 am

As a professional conference attendee I see a direct correlation between the number of people attending and the quality of the keynotes. Let’s face it, it’s all about the keynotes so you had better get some big names if you want more than your friends and family to show up. In this regards the upcoming CASPA event will probably be one… Read More