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Shrinking audio creates issues and opportunities

Shrinking audio creates issues and opportunities
by Don Dingee on 02-26-2013 at 6:00 pm

There is a lot more to sound than meets the ear, and there a vast number of ways to deliver an audio experience. I recently trashed my gaming headset, replacing it with a Samson C03U mic and Audio-Technica ATH-PRO700MK2 headphones. It’s a huge upgrade, especially for podcasting, and I admit I was also motivated by research into digitalRead More


High and Low: High Level Synthesis and Low Power

High and Low: High Level Synthesis and Low Power
by Paul McLellan on 02-26-2013 at 2:39 pm

It is so widely accepted that it is already a cliche to say that “power is the new timing.” With more and more chips, the major challenge is not so much to meet timing but to meet timing without blowing out the power budget. Otherwise, you could just crank up the clock rate.

I’m going to be lazy so you can insert your … Read More


Intel and Altera Sign on for 14nm

Intel and Altera Sign on for 14nm
by Ed McKernan on 02-25-2013 at 5:00 pm

The announcement today that Intel will be a Foundry for Altera at 14nm is a significant turning point for the Semiconductor Industry and Intel’s Foundry fortunes of which the full ramifications are not likely to be understood by analysts. As a long time follower of Intel and a former co-founder of an FPGA startup (Cswitch), it has… Read More


Can Japan Regain Semiconductor Leadership?

Can Japan Regain Semiconductor Leadership?
by Paul McLellan on 02-25-2013 at 1:14 pm

In the 1980s, Japan was seen as the leader in the semiconductor industry. Their quality was higher, especially in memories, and the US was worried about falling behind. In fact Sematech was created in 1987 by the US government and a consortium of 14 US-based semiconductor companies primarily to pool investment on common problems… Read More


The New "Mobile Foundry" Era: Whose Wheelhouse?

The New "Mobile Foundry" Era: Whose Wheelhouse?
by Ed McKernan on 02-25-2013 at 1:12 pm

Nothing seems to raise the Visceral Ire of Semiwiki readers like the two words: Intel and Foundry. To get maximum steam coming out of the ears make sure you combine the two words in a sentence. Something along the lines like: Intel is Now Going to be a Leader in the Foundry Business. Pause…..Ok catch your breadth and now let’s move on … Read More


Who Allegedly Broke Tela’s Patents: Is Samsung or Qualcomm the Real Villain?

Who Allegedly Broke Tela’s Patents: Is Samsung or Qualcomm the Real Villain?
by Randy Smith on 02-25-2013 at 1:08 pm

I recently blogged about the actions filed by Tela Innovations at both the US International Trade Commission (USITC) and in federal district court. Those actions allege that five mobile phone manufacturers -HTC, LG, Motorola Mobility, Pantech, and Nokia – were importing handsets into the US which infringed on seven of… Read More


Learning Properties, Assertions and Covers for Hardware Design

Learning Properties, Assertions and Covers for Hardware Design
by Daniel Payne on 02-25-2013 at 12:10 pm

How do you learn new hardware design topics? I just got trained online about property-based verification for hardware designers using a free online class at Aldec. The material was created by Jerry Kaczynski, a Research Engineer at Aldec.

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FinFET Design Challenges at 14nm and 10nm

FinFET Design Challenges at 14nm and 10nm
by Daniel Payne on 02-25-2013 at 11:09 am

speaker vassiliosgerousis

At DAC 2012 we were hearing about the 20nm design ecosystem viability, however IC process technology never stands still so we have early process development going on now at the 10nm and 14nm nodes where FinFET technology is being touted. Earlier in February Vassilios Gerousis, a distinguished engineer at Cadence presented a session… Read More


At DVCon: Pre-Simulation Verification for RTL Sign-Off includes Automating Power Optimization and DFT

At DVCon: Pre-Simulation Verification for RTL Sign-Off includes Automating Power Optimization and DFT
by Graham Bell on 02-24-2013 at 8:10 pm

By now, you will have seen several postings about all the different activities that are going on at Design and Verification Conference being held Feb. 25-28 at its usual location – the DoubleTree Hotel in San Jose, CA. Besides organizing an experts panel “Where Does Design End and Verification Begin?“, Real… Read More


MUST: DSP ready solution for tomorrow smartphone based on CEVA-XC 4000

MUST: DSP ready solution for tomorrow smartphone based on CEVA-XC 4000
by Eric Esteve on 02-24-2013 at 5:13 am

Like Guiness dark beer, competition is good for you! I mean good for end user, as it pushes DSP IP supplier to provide ever better solution. I am not talking about me-to type of competition, like that we have seen in the past with IBM trying to displace TI at Nokia, by offering a LEAD (DSP IP core from TI used in every NOKIA wireless phone… Read More