Programmable processors: Make them for all, or one?
By Jeff Bier, Courtesy of EE Times
Mar 12 2007 (9:00 AM)
These days, there are so many startups developing programmable processors that it feels like we're back in the bubble years, when anyone with a remotely viable processor design could secure venture funding.
A pivotal question for the current crop of startups is whether to offer their processors as flexible, general-purpose chips or as highly specialized, application-specific solutions. Should their product be a jack-of-all-trades or a master of one?
If the processor is complex or the programming tools iffy, vendors may be more successful if they offer a full application-specific solution--one that comes complete with robust application software and hardware reference designs. This way, their customers can enjoy the power of the new device without having to learn all the nitty-gritty details of the architecture and tools. But this approach requires deep application expertise and system design skills--and many processor companies don't have these kinds of resources. A narrow market focus can also be risky: There are fewer potential customers, and hence fewer shots at success.
To read the full article, click here
Related Semiconductor IP
- 1.6T Ultra Ethernet Controller
- Chiplet Die-to-Die Interconnect IP Solution
- High speed MACsec Engine 100G/200G/400G/800G/1.6T
- Temperature/Voltage sensors
- AMBA Bus Host to eSPI Controller/Target
Related News
- Xilinx Tapes-Out First 20nm All Programmable Device with First UltraScale ASIC-class Programmable Architecture
- Xilinx's Zynq-7000 All Programmable SoCs Enable Mobilicom's Advanced Peer-to-Peer Software-Defined Radios
- Xilinx and its Ecosystem Expand All Programmable Abstractions to Empower More Designers and Accelerate Productivity up to 15X
- Xilinx and TSMC Reach Volume Production on all 28nm CoWoS-based All Programmable 3D IC Families
Latest News
- Imec unlocks fourfold UWB range extension using world-first narrowband receiver chip compliant with IEEE 802.15.4ab standard
- Alliance for Open Media Releases AV2 Codec, Advancing Next-Generation Open Video Coding
- VeriSilicon Drives Commercial Adoption of AV2 Across Next-Generation Video and Streaming Applications
- Cadence Announces Collaboration with Intel Foundry to Accelerate Intel 14A Process Optimization for HPC and Mobile Designs
- Menta and Presto Engineering Announce Strategic Collaboration to Accelerate Adaptive ASIC Architectures with Embedded FPGA Technology