Chips and Tech bets on a desktop comeback

Article Abstract:

Chips and Technologies has achieved financial success by targeting graphics controllers and accelerators for flat-panel displays in notebook PCs, and now the firm is focusing on new desktop chip sets to fuel continued growth. The situation as of Mar 1996 is very different from the sorry state of Chips and Technologies in 1993 when the company was dealing with huge losses as a result of an ill-fated bid to obtain part of the x86-compatible microcontroller arena. Company CEO Jim Stafford realized his firm needed to stay on the cutting edge from a product and integration position. Now the firm is very market-driven, and sales as of Jun 30, 1995 increased 43% to $104 million and net income grew to $9.4 million. Chips has been supplying desktop chip sets to Apple, but it is now specifically creating a tightly integrated UMA chip set that will combine multimedia functions with core logic for Windows-based desktop systems.

Semiconductors and related devices, Semiconductor and Related Device Manufacturing, Integrated Circuits, Semiconductor industry, Planning, Integrated circuit design, Circuit design, Design and construction, Company business planning, Chip sets (Computers), Chipsets, Chips and Technologies Inc., CHPS

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HP rides IR smarts into the notebook market

Article Abstract:

HP is counting on infrared (IR) technology as a way for it to gain a bigger part of the notebook market. The firm has installed an IR link in all of its portable systems since introducing the HP OmniBook 300 in 1993. The IR connection allows notebooks to share files with similarly outfitted systems. The IR link also allows users to transmit and receive information between network ports and other IR-equipped computer peripherals. HP's IR link is managed by National Semiconductor's so-called 'Super-I/O' chip, or the PC87334. The chip is the first to interface with an IR transceiver, and it also condenses nearly every I/O function into one package. The 115Kbps IR transceiver is manufactured by HP's Optical Communications Division. Many other computer makes are now including the IR link as a standard feature with their systems, following HP's lead.

Electronic computers, Innovations, Product information, Marketing, Technology development, Hewlett-Packard Co., HWP, Laptop computers, Notebook computers, Notebook computer, Infrared equipment

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Fab equipment makers brace for a rocky year

Article Abstract:

The semiconductor equipment industry registered a 17% growth for 1996 but market research firm Dataquest says that the figure is deceptive because the backlog of orders at the beginning of 1996 showed a rosy picture. The semiconductor market slowdown which dominated the rest of the year was not felt by the equipment vendors until the later part of the year. Insiders say that DRAM investment will fall by 25% for 1997 and consequently, equipment sales will be 18% less, to $18.8 billion. Because of the expected business downturn, wafer fabs constructed in 1996 will not be operational until the market picks up. Companies such as Ultratech, which diversified into disk drives, are spared the brunt of the downturn. Others such as Veeco, an ion beam equipment manufacturer, will have to cut its workforce.

Special industry machinery, not elsewhere classified, Forecasts and trends, Preview of coming year, Technological forecasting, Market trend/market analysis, Semiconductor production equipment industry, Semiconductor production equipment, 1997 AD

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