Intel 14nm Delayed Again?

Intel 14nm Delayed Again?
by Daniel Nenni on 02-12-2014 at 9:00 am

From the sources in which I confirmed the last Intel 14nm delay, I just confirmed another. Intel 14nm is STILL having yield problems. Remember Intel bragging about 14nm being a full node and deriding TSMC because 16nm is “just” 20nm with FinFETs added? Judging by the graph, clearly FinFETs are not the problem here. … Read More


Has LinkedIn Jumped the Shark?

Has LinkedIn Jumped the Shark?
by Daniel Nenni on 02-08-2014 at 11:00 am

LinkedIn is without a doubt the number one social network for semiconductor professionals. Based on my experience, the big LinkedIn boom came with the massive unemployment during the Great Recession of 2009. In my estimate, unemployment was 12%+ at the high point in Silicon Valley and resumes clogged the internet with LinkedIn… Read More


Cliosoft Grows Again!

Cliosoft Grows Again!
by Daniel Nenni on 02-05-2014 at 10:25 am

Cliosoft was one of the first companies to work with SemiWiki so they are an integral part of our amazing growth and we are part of theirs. I remember talking to Srinath Anantharaman (Cliosoft CEO) for the first time and discussing the goals of working together. It was simple really, there was disinformation in the market about Cliosoft… Read More


DesignCon 2014 AMS Panel Report

DesignCon 2014 AMS Panel Report
by Daniel Nenni on 02-05-2014 at 10:15 am

DesignCon 2014 was very crowded! I have not seen the attendance numbers but as the first conference of the New Year it was very encouraging. The strength of the fabless semiconductor ecosystem is collaboration and face-to-face interactions are the most valuable, absolutely.

The session I moderated was on Mixed Signal Design … Read More


iDRM for Complex Layout Searches and IP Protection!

iDRM for Complex Layout Searches and IP Protection!
by Daniel Nenni on 02-05-2014 at 8:00 am

iDRM (integrated design rule manager) from Sage-DA is the world’s first and only design rule compiler. As such it is used to develop and capture design rules graphically, and can be used by non-programmers to quickly capture very complex and shape dependent design rules and immediately generate a check for them. The tool… Read More


CMOS Biosensor Breakthrough Enables Portable Diagnostics Solution

CMOS Biosensor Breakthrough Enables Portable Diagnostics Solution
by Daniel Nenni on 02-04-2014 at 8:30 am

The panel I moderated at DesignCon last week was both entertaining and enlightining. One of the panelists, Zhimin Ding, is the CEO of an emerging fabless semiconductor company and here is their story:

In the past 5 to 10 years we have seen vast advancement in medical diagnostics technology. Doctors can now use DNA or anti-body analysis… Read More


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