Three Things You Have Wrong About Intel!

Three Things You Have Wrong About Intel!
by Daniel Nenni on 10-09-2020 at 10:00 am

Three Things You Have Wrong About Intel

First let me tell you that I have nothing but respect for Intel. I grew up with them in Silicon Valley and have experienced firsthand their brilliance and the many contributions they have made to the semiconductor industry. In fact, I can easily say the semiconductor ecosystem would not be what it is today without Intel.

But no company… Read More


DFT Innovations Come from Customer Partnerships

DFT Innovations Come from Customer Partnerships
by Tom Simon on 05-05-2020 at 10:00 am

Mentro Tessent Innovation

There is an adage that says that quality is not something that can be slapped on at the end of the design or manufacturing process. Ensuring quality requires careful thought throughout development and production. Arguably this adage is more applicable to the topic of Design for Test (DFT) than almost any other area of IC development… Read More


Short vs Long Term Covid19 Impact

Short vs Long Term Covid19 Impact
by Robert Maire on 04-19-2020 at 10:00 am

Covid Semiconductor

-Short term Covid19 impact is primarily logistics related
-Longer term impact is more systemic/demand driven
-Impact will wind through supply chain over several qtrs
-Other issues, such as trade, remain an overhang

Short term versus long term in the semiconductor industry
The stocks declines over the last months seem to indicate… Read More


A cautionary tale for the digital economy

A cautionary tale for the digital economy
by Terry Daly on 04-08-2020 at 10:00 am

TSMC Wafer

COVID-19 underscores the importance of US-based production for strategic industries

The COVID-19 pandemic has drawn intense focus on the need to repatriate pharmaceutical manufacturing back to the United States.  The increased awareness that a strategic adversary manufactures or controls up to 80% of the active pharmaceutical… Read More


COVID-19 Collateral Chip Collision – Will Fabs & Foundries Flounder?

COVID-19 Collateral Chip Collision – Will Fabs & Foundries Flounder?
by Robert Maire on 03-05-2020 at 6:00 am

Corvid 19 SemiWiki

Corona Fab Impact –
lower production/raise prices
Chip production supply chain may break
It could temporarily fix memory oversupply
Could it risk the fall roll out of next Iphone

The ” Two week tango” – Waiting games at fabs
When a highly specialized piece of semiconductor equipment misbehaves to the… Read More


Intel vs AMD Q4 2019 Conference Calls

Intel vs AMD Q4 2019 Conference Calls
by Daniel Nenni on 02-04-2020 at 6:00 am

Intel 10nm Roadmap

Now that the dust has settled and I’m out of cronovirus quarantine let’s talk about the Intel and AMD conference calls. Unfortunately, the Intel and AMD marketing teams are still outpacing engineering so it is difficult to write something serious but I will do my best.

Spoiler Alert: Both CEOs disappoint.

First an Intel 10nm update:… Read More


TSMC and AMD: Leaders of the Industry (7nm)

TSMC and AMD: Leaders of the Industry (7nm)
by Daniel Nenni on 01-05-2020 at 10:50 am

Title: TSMC and AMD: Leaders of the Industry

Date: Wednesday, January 22, 2020

Time: 11:00 AM Central Standard Time

Duration: 30 minutes

With the large demand for 7nm products, AMD has united with semiconductor titan TSMC to supply the most advanced technology in the industry.  Join TSMC Head of Global Marketing, Godfrey Cheng,

Read More

Why is the Press Giving AMD a Free Pass?

Why is the Press Giving AMD a Free Pass?
by Daniel Nenni on 12-16-2019 at 6:00 am

The Intel versus AMD rivalry is legendary amongst us Silicon Valley AARP members and is one of the reasons why the semiconductor industry is as competitive as it is today, absolutely.

AMD’s boisterous corporate culture started with AMD’s co-founder and long time CEO Jerry Sanders. Jerry was the ultimate showman but his credo “People… Read More


Why is Intel Still Short on Chips?

Why is Intel Still Short on Chips?
by Daniel Nenni on 12-03-2019 at 6:00 am

Intel is again apologizing to customers for 14nm chip shortages. As a result PC makers are revising down revenue expectations for 2020. Something does not smell right here. I have also read that due to the continued shortages Intel will be second sourcing CPU chips to Samsung 14nm. This smells even worse, absolutely.

First and foremost,… Read More


Intel vs AMD vs Google vs Amazon vs NUVIA

Intel vs AMD vs Google vs Amazon vs NUVIA
by Daniel Nenni on 11-29-2019 at 6:00 am

Arguably the cloud was the quickest road to riches for chip designers large and small. As an emerging company, if you wanted to raise money just put “Datacenter” in your pitch deck and you were assured millions. You would be competing with semiconductor’s version of David and Goliath (AMD and Intel) but that was a good thing, right?… Read More